Home for the Holidays

Now I get it. When I was a college student myself, I really did not understand the whole "having the family under one roof" attraction. We were , after all, more prone to bickering than to Norman Rockwell moments. I wasn't feelin' the love when I was 20.
Now that I have three college aged children and am on the brink of an empty nest, I understand the appeal. Don't get me wrong, I love the emptying house. I love double teaming the last kid at home. I love it more than I would have imagined. But at the same time, I love the togetherness we still share as a now-expanding nuclear family. It is part of what I am so grateful for that two of my adult children live nearby. We get to see each other regularly, but we don't have to live together any more. It is the best of both worlds.
But we do have one child who has escaped Iowa City. He is now home for the holidays, and it really feels like something to celebrate. It is the perfect mix of we enjoy our own independent lives now, but at the same time, we like seeing each other. We wouldn't want to go back to where we were, but on the other hand, the occasional big family dinner is greatly enjoyed. Too often and we would descend into bickering ourselves. But in moderation, it is a thing of joy.