So I went to the bank the other day to open a checking account because I’m an adult, and as a thank you they….gave me a vacuum?

So I’ve been off tumblr for a eight days in a row. Shocking right? It took me two days to catch up on my whole dash, and I went from having 179 posts liked to having 382 posts liked, you’ll be enjoying my queue for years now. 

But I’m afraid the reasoning behind this is actually pretty sad. My grandpa died on November 16th, six days before Thanksgiving, after being in and out of the ICU for six weeks due to surgery complications. That’s as well as losing my great-aunt Teresa less than three weeks before that. I went to stay with my grandma/help my grandma out with things on the 15th, and was really thankfully able to be there to see him and help take care of things. The wake was on the 19th, and the funeral was on the 20th. We only had one day off before bam, thanksgiving. 

But in the spirit of the holiday season, I actually do have a lot to be thankful for. 

Have you ever heard people say things like “Oh, this suit only comes out for weddings and funerals” or “We’re only ever all together for weddings and funerals”? Well sometimes in my family that really is true. My grandpa and grandma left Ireland to look for work in England, met, married and had their first son there, and then moved again across a much bigger body of water to America (where they had six more kids that they were able to give a good life to.) But despite that, we’ve stayed very close to aunts, great-aunts, cousins, second cousins, first cousins once removed, first cousins twice removed, etc. And that doesn’t bring into account the neighborhood; when my dad was growing up, there were 100 kids living across two streets. And you can bet that they all knew where the spare key to the house was, and which beds and couches were up for grabs if they needed them. My grandpa was “Pops” to whole neighborhoods on two different continents.

And in times of grief like this, they all came together and brought memories to share, and there were memories to be made. My grandma showed her children their 57-year-old wedding photos for the first time. I heard family stories so special that I even wrote them down, I found photos that are truly worth their weight in gold. Six of my English family flew in from England, and they walked through the door to the funeral home one by one with only ten minutes left to the wake as if we were in the middle of a courtroom drama and they’d just found the deed to save the farm. And that’s what it felt like, as if extra family with reserve strength, more memories and comfort had come through the door to save the day. I got to give them their first true American Thanksgiving (complete with turkey naps and plenty of “american football”). And the circumstances may have been far from ideal, but you know what, I’m going to cherish the memory of trying to explain what squash, turkey naps, and plastic turkey thermometers are to them for the rest of my days. 

My grandpa was an extraordinary man, and he did a lot to make me who I am today. Not just an American, but someone who’s willing to open my home and heart to people, someone who loves to travel, someone who loves all the extended branches of my family tree.

I thought that since this is the kick off to the holiday season, and for many that translates to the family season, you guys might appreciate a reminder. Everyone’s family and family situation is very different, but whether they’re the adversity you overcame or the safe haven you can always go back to, family does a lot to shape you. Everyone comes from somewhere right? But people don’t last forever, and I hope that you guys can all remember that each member of your family is a person all by themselves and they had a whole life that you might not even know about. Its hard for me to know that my grandpa and every one of his brothers is now dead, and their remarkable stories of living in Ireland, England, and American from 1920-2012 has kind of gone with them. Only bits and pieces that prying ears and and old friends had already heard is really left now. I’ve been following my grandma and her sister around with a pen and paper for days now, writing down every story they tell. You maybe shouldn’t be that fanatical, but I hope that you guys can take that sentiment and listen and ask some questions. It might turn into something you really cherish, knowing where you came from.

I’m going to leave this post with a picture of me and my grandpa when I was 3 months old. 

Look at how goddamn cute we are.

All we need is athletic ability, and we could be an olympic/sports team. 

Also, I did my nails for the Olympics.

I am wearing a hair bow, and I like it.

Oh by the way I went to see the Apocolyptour yesterday. Once again, there were those few in the crowd who apparently don’t have any idea how to be a respectful/safe in a crowd and they make everything less fun. But that’s ok because I saw Brian Rosenthal live and my friend and I got balloon octopi after the show ended. 

And this was at semi, but just look at the hat.

I like this photo because my boobs look fantastic.

Me and the three best friends, looking in the same direction and continuing our nine year friendship at prom. Also, those shoes.

Everyone stop being dramatic about whatever Glee’s doing and indulge me whilst I cam whore.

I need a new default/profile picture.

1.

2.

or

3.

or none of them are good do something different?

So let me recap that for you in pictures. 

My night is a mixture of 

and

I dare your Saturday night to compete with this.

Last post I promise.

And now, for those who don’t want to go to the trouble of finding and hanging mistletoe in just the right place, you can get it on a balloon!

Is telling the internet about your Christmas presents, like, you know, a thing? I’m seeing lots of posts about it and I like reading about other people being happy with their gifts, so

me and my towel head are going to play along and make a post of our own.

Lovely gifts from 2/4 of my celebrations.

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