Homecomings

This blog is dedicated to U.S. Army Captain Bryce Markiewicz who, after several long hot months and, surprisingly, cold nights deployed in Afghanistan, is returning home. Bryce is one of my oldest friends- we have known each other for about twenty years. Welcome back, Bryce!

I was happy to celebrate my own, brief homecoming in Colorado for Christmas this year. As my mother was quick to remind us, this was the first Christmas in four years when the Doherty clan was able to all be together and not have anyone skyping from abroad. The highlight of the Christmas presents this year was a new puppy- ok, a big puppy, for my parents!

We got to share family time in a number of really memorable ways. For starters, Melanie and Ivan surprised us all with tickets of White Christmas at the theater downtown. We spent Christmas at Aunt Sheryl’s house with my mom’s side of the family, and made calls to my dad’s side in the afternoon. Movies were also on the agenda: an afternoon showing of Les Mis, and then a late night show of The Hobbit, joined by our cousin Will. Then, to get in touch with nature and our sweet teeth, we drove up to a beekeeper’s shop in Fort Collins, where we learned how to make honey! And for New Years, we got together for bowling, laser tag, air hockey, and DDR dancing!

Family time during the holidays was such a much needed break from cultural and language immersion in Asia and from working long hours. This trip gives me the fuel to keep going through another year abroad, complete with plenty of photos to turn to when I start to feel homesick!