Our Christmas trip to see family looked a little different this year. Because Nate was still on block leave from this most recent deployment, we really made our family of four a priority in planning how we would spend our time. In the past, we have done reintegration really well ... and really poorly ... and have learned that our nuclear family requires some time to get back to the 'normal' of having Dad home. We also love that we are in Texas, and close to ALL of our immediate family members so taking a trip to see them was an absolute must. The time was slightly more brief than other Christmas trips, but the time spent was just as valuable. Our first stop in my family was to see my dad. He has been through some serious health struggles this year and it was great to see him feeling good for our visit. The boys filled him in on their lives and we spent a great afternoon together. As a former US Air Force airman, my dad is always interested in hearing about Nate's A...