Merry Christmas!

The celebration has begun. We had a candlelight (sort of candlelight) communion service yesterday evening and then went to friends for our Christmas eve traditions. We eat, sing, and tell stories and then open some gifts. It's a lot of fun. I made pajama bottoms for all of us and we opened them at about midnight and then went to bed. This morning we opened some more presents and now the kids are playing video games. Misty the cat is totally enjoying the bows, boxes and wrapping paper. She is quite entertaining. R is going to her bf's house today and we will all go to my parent's tomorrow. We may go to a movie later today. We'll see.

We still haven't heard if our papers got picked up and put back into MOI, or when that might happen. We'll be trying to call J today. I hope we get to talk to him. Christmas number 4 without him is kind of tough. We kept thinking "surely he'll be home by next Christmas" for a couple of years. Ha! We know better than to even think that this year. He still has unopened gifts from last Christmas. Merry Christmas J. We love you and miss you.

Merry Christmas to everyone else, too. I pray for health and joy for you and that you will remember the Real Reason for the season.

And I think I'll do a thankful list. I'm thankful that God sent His Son to save us. I'm thankful for the sun that's out today as we've had a lot of rain and the sun is a nice break. I'm thankful for family and friends who are like family.

P.S. I just talked to J! He got the water gun that he asked for and we sent him. I'm sure there are some kids there that are not thankful for his water gun but he seemed very excited about it. He sounds like he has laryngitis, either that or he's been yelling all morning. R has laryngitis too, but her's is not from yelling. So, I'll add to my thankful list that I got to talk to J and wish him a Merry Christmas and tell him that I love him. I am thankful for that.