downtown christmas lights (a new tradition)

When we realized our old tradition was coming to an end, we decided to start a new one. We loaded up eight people in one van, five in a car, and went to Union Square in downtown San Francisco to see the holiday lights.

They were perfect. The tree was gigantic. Raiza was afraid of Santa Claus. We gave a lot of business to Starbucks.

There were adoptable pets in the Macy's store windows. Raiza tried hot chocolate for the first time. Raine ran full-speed into the window of a revolving glass door* (oops).

A lot of silly, little things. At one point I went to take a "guys" photo of my brother and two nephews, but Raine insisted that the photo wasn't complete because Uncle David wasn't in it.

I might be having my quarter-life crisis but my heart is overflowing with love.

*She ended up being okay. David later described the event "like watching a bird fly into a window," and my sister (Raine's mom) couldn't stop laughing. None of us could.