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In 1987, Greg and I went to China as exchange students from Oregon. We went with about 15 other Oregon Students and 30 from SUNY. It was challenging and life changing. When we came home at Christmas time we really felt like Santa and the Mrs., because we had gone with two suitcases and came home with 14. Mostly filled with gifts. We were blessed to have both of our families close enough to each other that we could spend Christmas with one set, drive seven hours and spend Christmas with the other.
Back then it felt like we would have these wonderful homes to return to every Christmas. Now of course they are both gone, and the memories are tinted with the knowledge of what and who has been lost, but even in the sadness is a new understanding of how lucky we were to have the older generations- missing their own childhood families and homes, but still recreating the magic for us.
