2016 — Page 5

The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas – Day 19

Today we decided we would take the gift cards that were in the gift bags from church yesterday – that their Sunday school teacher gave – and get hot chocolate from McDonald’s. So we all headed to McDonald’s for hot chocolate. Each child ordered theirs and used their gift card, so I am sure we were annoying, but the guy waiting on us was very patient. After we sat down to drink our drinks, I sent Jordan to the car to get the jars of candy we made for people. Bethany took up two different jars of candy to the guy that so patiently waited on us. Then a few minutes later a woman came over to us and gave toys to all the kids. It was really nice.

So, we had Christmas hot chocolate together and then my son, John, came with his two kids. It was a nice visit and our “special thing” for day 19.

The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas – Day 18

Today was a little different. Usually most of my time is spent with my younger kids and they are the ones that I have been doing things with. But, today after church I met my older girls and we went out to lunch and shopping together. It was Meredith, Shannon, Anna, Emily, Katie, Abigail, Zola and myself. It was really nice to spend time together and just sit and talk and laugh. I think we will do it every year if it works out and that has already been suggested to me.

Because I was gone most of the day, it was hard to do much of anything with my younger kids. But, I did let them watch another Christmas movie and they got Christmas bags from their Sunday School teacher today and I let them go through their bags. I know it was small and I know they watched a movie yesterday, but I am counting the movie and opening their gift bags as our “special thing”. I wasn’t here for the movie, but I was here to watch them open their gift bags and that was pretty exciting for them. Tess came up to me after they opened their bags and sat on my lap and said, ” This is my first Christmas.” It was kind of sad and sweet at the same time.

I took a picture of Zola today as she lit the advent candle in church this morning.

When church was over, Bethany ran up to where Michael was playing the piano as people left the sanctuary. I saw her standing there next to him and grabbed my phone and got about a 6 or 7 second video of them together. Thought I would post that, too.