“Rejoice in the Lord always;
 again I will say, rejoice.”  Philippians 4:8

It’s Monday morning now.  The family is all around me, with their tummies full of homemade pancakes and bacon, scrambled eggs with mushrooms and melted cheddar cheese.

As I worked in the kitchen, I took a break now and then, to crumble a warm pancake over the porch railing for my hens (they love them!)

Rich is home this week, he’s at the table now, studying Colossians.

Sarah Joy has found her pretty Christmas shoes, and is busily putting them on her tiny feet.

Grace is cleaning the kitchen.  She’s already read three books this weekend.

The little boys are watching a cartoon.

Ethan wants someone to play chess with him and Jacob is still eating his breakfast. 

Rich was gone for hours on Christmas Eve, trying to locate a last minute gift for Ethan.  I was home and tired, cleaning and taking care of the children…..but, the sun was shining and we laughed when he got home and found me contentedly on the floor in a sunbeam.  Davy was next to me, and we were talking to each other but he got up and left when Rich took the picture.

In my heart, I was thinking a lot of years ago and the past Christmases together with my childhood family.  But first in my heart was remembering 17 years ago, when Rich got down on one knee, and put a ring on my finger.

For this reason, Christmas Eve will also be a very romantic time of year for us, as we thankfully remember the beautiful years we have had together, as husband and wife. 

We remember and appreciate the past, as we continue to grow and make new traditions, and new memories.

Amanda and her family came for Christmas Eve, and also my brother Isaac.  We enjoyed the same munchies that our Grandma and Aunts used to prepare for us, when we were little.

For dinner, we had baked ham, scalloped potatoes, and corn casserole.

We opened gifts and watched the excitement and joy of the children.

Naomi’s gift was a big hit.  Rapunzal hair! 

We  couldn’t resist trying the hair on Sarah.  She looked like a doll.

That evening, we all went to church for a beautiful Christmas service.

When we got home, the children were given snacks and sent to bed so that Rich and I could work to get the house prepared for Christmas morning.

We awoke to noises of little ones the next morning, scurrying around the livingroom.  It was 5:10, and I asked them to be patient and quiet for just a little longer.  Rich and I slept some more and got up for the day at 6.  Caleb was so excited that we allowed the children to wake up Seth and Sarah, and we got started on opening our gifts.

Sarah said, “Oh!”  “Let me see!” as she opened the papers and unwrapped her surprises.

The annual “after” picture of the livingroom:

Rich has always loved my arms, and now they will be even prettier.  This was “The Year of the Bracelet”, as my sister also gave me one (the green!)

This was the gift that amused me the most:

Davy was such a big help, and took it upon himself to clean up the wrapping paper from the floor.

Four bags-full.

And since Christmas was on a Sunday this year, we did all our Christmas opening and playing and ALSO got ready for church! 

After being all cozy in our pew, singing lots and lots of Christmas hymns and songs, and listening to the preached word, Davy leaned over and whispered in my ear;

“This was the very best day to be in church!”

I had to agree.

God be praised, we have a great Savior who came to earth so long ago born from a virgin. He grew, served a beautiful earthly ministry, and died on the cruel cross to pay our sin-debt, but also…..rose from the dead and lives today.  As our Pastor said on Sunday, if there hadn’t been a death on the cross and an Easter resurrection, there wouldn’t be a Christmas to celebrate.  May He be honored and glorified for ever and ever!

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
  
(Philippians 2:1-11 ESV)

After church, we had a cozy afternoon together, and that night, tired of being inside, we all got dressed and went out for a walk in the dark with flashlights.  It was special, being out at that time of night, all together. Perhaps this will be a new tradition.

Merry Christmas!