Back in Taipei and absorbed quickly into life at hand. The time with family a deep but fleeting pleasure. Still, I would not miss Christmas for the world. Forty-two Christmases at home - haven't missed one yet. There is something about being home with the excitement and the rushing and the food and my family close by - I think I'd sooner miss a summer home than a Christmas home.

Small and big memories mark the trip. Christopher Paul running up to me at Mike and Mary's, shouting "Uncle Duff!" and leaping into my arms to share some giggling story. I had not seen him in a year. I had never heard him say my name. Listening to Pete the Cleat hold the floor, clearly and earnestly delineating the rules at Uncle Tim's Pizza Party. Sitting with Mom, just the two of us, alone at breakfast one very early morning in the pale winter light. Making my way across a crowded living room, wine glass and plate in hand, sidestepping gifts, nephews, enveloped in the loud warmth of family chatter. Being with Kelley and Throop, standing in their kitchen eating appies, wine and talk at the dinner table, relaxing later in the living room. Lunch with Kel at Rye Ridge Deli, eating almost every pickle in the bowl. Seeing Sean Patrick bigger than I remember. Hugging John Henry. Cocktails at Carl's new place, looking as comfortable as if he'd lived there for years. A second year at Rick's for my birthday, champagne and a crackling fire in a wonderfully warm house. Spending time with Megan's family, realizing the closeness I feel to them is due to how similar they feel to our family, joking between siblings, nieces and nephews abound.

Megan and I lead a charmed life here in Taiwan. A beautiful apartment. A safe city. Mountains and terraced farms a bike ride away. No commute, but a walk to work. Buying our fish and our vegetables not from some overly-lit and enormous supermarket, but from vendors lining the streets and stalls. Going out to eat for twenty bucks. Making good money and being able to save for a house. Working with unbelievably well-behaved, fun, and engaged students at one of the top International schools in Asia. And experiencing a language and a culture few back home have ever seen.

But the cost of all this is distance from family. A sacrifice for the short-term, but too dear a price to pay for the long haul. We experience separate lives - a life home in the summer, a life here for the school year, punctuated only by Christmas. Thank god for e-mail and telephone.

June seems a long way off, but a lot will happen between now and then. A week off for Chinese New Year this month, A trip to Kuala Lumpur in March, Bangkok in April, and planning a trip to the ruins at Angkor Wat in Cambodia for later that same month. Maybe Viet Nam. Then May, then back home in June. The time will go quickly.

This was ultimately to post some pictures, so here they are: Franco Christmas you can click here. Collins' Christmas you can click here. And just a few from Uncle Tim's Pizza Party.