Merry Christmas

Today we're leaving on our Christmas Tour! We are SO excited to get to see ALL of our immediate family members, grandparents and most of our cousins. In fact, Daniel is so excited he worked 18 hours last Friday to get ahead on his work so he could have more time to help me get things ready to go this week. That, and we were both too excited to fall asleep last night even though we were super tired. Daniel didn't even have much trouble getting out of bed this morning for his 5:30 simulator. :-)

A few weeks ago some people at church told us about a "Christmas singing house." I have been wanting to see it because I had never seen a light show on someone's house before. Well, last night Daniel and I went to see it and it was so cool! It's like a 4th of July fireworks show but Christmas lights! It inspired me to track down such a house every year just for the fun of it. Here's a video of it from last year that I found on YouTube since I forgot to bring my camera. This year's show isn't the same, but it's not very different. The owner broadcasts the music to your car from a radio station so you don't have to get out of your car and stand in the freeze for 9 minutes. :-)

 

So, I haven't done a Christmas letter this year. That doesn't mean I won't, but it'll be late. I have made most of our Christmas gifts though, and they have been wrapped in a Julie Andrew's inspired manner - brown paper and string. I didn't even use tape! I like to challenge myself when it comes to wrapping. :-)

This Christmas I've been reminded through various sources that Christmas is about showing love to those around you - family in particular. We are grateful to get to spend this holiday with our families. While we will be exchanging gifts, the real gift we will receive is being able to be with and make happy memories with the people in our lives that we love - and miss - the most. That may sound cliche, but Daniel and I haven't been together with our families for over a year and a half. I'm looking forward to sitting in a room and seeing the faces, and hearing the voices of all my favorite people at the same time. I think Heaven will be similar to that. Maybe God designed it that way. When families celebrate and remember the birth of the Savior together, they feel a taste of Heaven and remember why Jesus was sent to Earth in the first place - so we could all be together forever with Him. That really is the greatest gift of all! I hope that even if you won't be spending this Christmas in the physical company of your loved ones, that you can still feel and be reminded of His love for you. Merry Christmas!