November is almost gone. It flew... felt like Halloween was just here. I guess it flew since I spent a week of it in Germany. D spent a week in Detroit and a couple days in New York. (He brought me back a teddy bear which I named Yorkie- from NY, and the classic "I ♥ Vietnam on Thanksgiving Day. Yep, I missed the biggest bar night of the year and that is ok. After drinking every night the week before, I could use a little detox. My boss gave me Wednesday off because I worked long hours with him overseas. So we spent it together.

On Wednesday evening, we were Lansing-bound. In talking to his brother earlier, we had planned on going to Preston's for the biggest bar night of the year for some inside "high school humor", but considering the younger Nguyen did not pack yet, I just spent time with the family on their all-nighter to prepare 8 bags of luggage. I bought D Lost Season 1 for his flight, but he was insistant on watching it with me so we watched. And reluctantly, I am hooked. Grrr. Anyway, we were so tired from all the traveling so we passed out sometime during the 3rd CD.

D and I went to bed while his family pulled the all nighter. The alarms rang at 5:45AM. I woke up and tried to help the family get everything together. Finally, I made a trip to the airport with D so that he could check in first. Soon after, the rest of the group got to the airport. After waiting for awhile, he came out to take his dad's truck back to their house. He locked everything up, then we bought McDonald's for everyone and relaxed a little bit at the airport.

The flight was fortunately (for me) delayed so that I could be selfish and spend a little more time with him. Of course, time doesn't wait for anyone so after hugs and kisses from my second family, they lined up at security and I stood there until they disappeared. It was really cute. His mother yelled "Bye Thao" down the escalator after security. Her voice rang through the airport. It was so adorable. Immediately, I missed him.

Thanksgiving was not full of holiday cheer for me. It seems that most of the holidays were kinda bittersweet this year. I reluctantly drove to my mother's where I spent Thanksgiving watching old reruns and lounging on the sofa while the adulta gambled and drank. I went to bed early while the party was still going since I wanted to wake up at 5AM for the after-Thanksgiving shopping event. Shopping was disappointing this year. No big sales. I bought stuff for myself, but couldn't find much for other people. I had a quick lunch with my mom and then drove back to Grand Rapids which was another mistake. Instead of getting a bit of peace and quiet, I got quite the opposite. PLUS I left Yorkie at my mom's and that was saddening.

Already, I wish I just drove out to GH to just be there by myself. It's not that I don't love this house. I do. I found it and made it my own, but I've outgrown it. It's amazing to think about how you just outgrow things and people, but it happens. All the time I spend at his place just shows me how much more comfortable I am in a place with someone who cleans, cooks, organizes, and works fulltime like me. I'm passed this stupid college ordeal. I don't need to get wasted with aimless people to prove anything to anyone. I am about to start grad school and that's even more different. I will be taking classes with people who work full time and barely will have time for myself. I don't want to be taking care of other things, I want to look out for number 1. I will be on my own in January and that is a relief. I will be paying a small mortgage to relocate myself immediately downtown, but the privacy, view, and security alone is worth it. I don't know how I am going to manage the move, starting grad courses, and getting lasik, but as I do for everything, I'll manage.

So what was I thankful for this Thanksgiving? As retarded and girlish as it sounds... I am thankful for the trials and tribulations of my relationship. I am thankful for having found him. We have learned a lot from each other, increasingly in these past couple of weeks. Nothing has come to us easy. With so few degrees of separation, we were bound to meet, but I never realized it could be anything like this. I am thankful for finding someone I can trust 100%. I wish the same could be said inversely. I am thankful that I chose to be selfish to be with him now for it was a catalyst for so many things...

I am thankful for finding a great job and being able to put myself through school. I am thankful that I am not a financial burden to my mother. I am thankful that I am much closer to my sister even though it cost us a mutual relationship with someone else. We were already close, but damn. I wish things didn't have to be that way, but they are. Because of the shit that has ensued, I spent Thanksgiving apart from my family. I briefly got to see my sister after saying bye at the airport. I hope that people out there aren't taking their families for granted. Much of my heartache right now has evolved from losing faith. I am taking a lesson from this for my own family in the future.

Details. I love and miss him much. These three weeks will fly, but damned if I ever thought I would ever feel like this about anyone. Ever. When he comes back, we will *hopefully* celebrate our first xmas, first new years, and first year together, before I get back on the school horse and work like hell to fight stress and a heightened schedule.

Categorized: Love, Holidays, Thoughts, Family