Merry Christmas everyone! Granted, my posts are delayed by 7 days, and it’s probably almost 2018 by now. Nonetheless, my merry wishes still stand!

Today was a good day. I had a very merry Christmas.

I went with Patrick and Arna out to the northwest of Sydney (a bit more calm and quiet area) to spend Christmas with his family. I was really looking forward to spending Christmas with a family – even if it wasn’t my own.

Pat told me that there would be a 50/50 chance of seeing kangaroos in the neighborhood, and I got very excited about that possibility. I mean, 50/50 are some pretty good odds!

As we were driving in, I kept my eyes peeled in all directions. It would be a Christmas miracle if I spotted one. On the way, I did spot cows, llamas, and these signs:

We made it to Pat’s family’s house without seeing a single kangaroo, and I was so distraught. Disappointment hit hard.

When we made it into the house, introductions were made. Everyone was so lovely and welcoming. I met one of Pat’s cousins who said that there would be kangaroos at the end of the street – “guaranteed.” Guaranteed! I liked the sound of that!

So we hopped back in the car, drove to the end of the road, and kept our fingers crossed.

And then low and behold – we spotted kangaroos. AHHH!!

Quite possibly the most exciting Christmas I’ve ever had. And definitely the most Aussie Christmas I’ve every had, for sure.

The rest of the day was just as good. We spent the day opening presents, eating way too much food, tossing frisbees outside, and playing card games inside.

I ended Christmas with a big smile on my face. It was just a wonderful Christmas. Thank you to Pat and his family for inviting this stranger into their home. I loved every minute of it.