Merry Christmas!

This year, we spent Christmas Eve at home. After dinner, the kids acted out the Nativity. Ainsley was the angel, Kaylee was Mary, and Landon was Joseph. Ainsley read her parts right out of the Bible and had fun singing "Joy to the World" after she spoke to the shepherds. Kaylee was excited to play the part of Mary and was very loving towards our baby Jesus. Landon was an adorable Joseph. Once we finished the nativity, we set out our stockings along with milk and cookies for Santa, and readied the kids for bed.

This morning Ainsley came into our room a little before 6:30am to show us the pajamas Santa had left for her on her bed. Once she showed off her new pj's, I asked her to go read in her room until Kaylee and Landon woke up. She told me she'd already been reading for an hour. She was in and out of our room for a half hour or so and then I heard Kaylee's door open and close. I got up to see if Ainsley had sneaked in there. She hadn't. Kaylee was sitting on her bed with her blinds open waiting for it to get light outside. I'd told the kids they could come into our room once it was light out and she'd become restless waiting for the sun to rise. I think she must've been up for a while. What a good listener! We waited a little bit longer for Landon to wake up and then the festivities began.

Today has already gone by so fast! Presents have been opened and toys have been played with. In just a little bit we'll be heading over to the Beeson's house for dinner. We're grateful to have friends here that are like family away from family but we really miss the family members who are not with us today. It's hard living so far away from our loved ones. I think about how I struggle with not being able to see my family as often as I'd like and it makes me realize how grateful I am to have the knowledge that families are eternal. I think I'd be thoroughly depressed if I thought that we'd eventually be permanently separated. Merry Christmas!