Gifting and family pictures

 Mindy called.  "Kaia just woke up from her nap and she's wide awake!  Let's Facetime and do cousin exchange!"

Reggie was ready in his little reindeer costume!

Papa and I also received gifts from Tenley and the family.

Perfect for those long car drives to see all the grandkids!!

Tenley and Kaia enjoyed their gifts from their cousin exchange!

After the cousins were done, Papa and I had a little Christmas quiz that we gave the family.  Questions like "What form of transportation did Mary and Joseph use to get to Bethlehem?"  Most people say Mary rode a donkey, but the Bible does not say.  A friend who has studied 1st century Jewish culture had told us donkeys were beasts of burden for carrying things, not people usually.  And if anyone rode the donkey, it probably would have been Joseph.  Interesting.  The kids did well on the quiz.

Stockings were handed out.

Then we went around the circle and each person would pick someone else's gift from under the tree and give it to them.  Jill's and us got mugs from Stars and Bucks located in Israel that Josh and Staci picked up when they went last spring.  Yes, Stars and Bucks is an actual coffee shop!

A shirt from "How Ridiculous"

Every year without fail, Al gets these from Jill and one chocolate covered cherry is missing!

I overheard Hannah say one time that her mom NEVER buys her crunchy peanut butter, her favorite.  So that's one thing she got!

I found this paint by number self portrait for Eli.  Really cool!

This book was on Josh's wish list.  When I went to purchase it, shipping was $38!! Shipping from China was so high!  I contacted our friend Randy, who works for CRU and he said he'd look around to see if anyone had it here in the US.  He checked with their Global Dept. and the CRU staff bookstore and also 2 international missionaries and no one had it.  Eventually, someone contacted him and said the author of this book goes to their church in Georgia and he was willing to part with a couple of copies!!  What a blessing!!

Even Reggie got a  treat!

"Do You Hear What I Hear"𝅘𝅥𝅮

Family pictures - without Mindy's family, boo hoo!!

Family coming!

We always celebrate Christmas with the family the week after.  Our son and son-in-law are both in pastoral ministry and need to be at their perspective churches for the actual holiday.  But the day after, they were on the way! 

The beds were made and ready.

Gifts were all wrapped and waiting under the tree.

Stockings were hung on the bannister.

Our youngest, Mindy and her family, were not going to come.  SADNESS!  It is rather difficult to travel so many hours with a newborn and toddler.  We get that.

But we would all sure miss hugging and loving on them!!!!!

One year in our young moms Bible study, we talked about our favorite holiday.  For me, it is Thanksgiving.  Most chose Christmas.  I said it was not a favorite of mine.  In fact, some years I have found Christmas to be quite stressful.  A letter to prepare, cards to send out, gifts to figure out....I love all those things, but it can just be so stressful!  But this year I found it delightful and joyful.  One thing that helped me was this devotional from Our Daily Bread.  And the prayers of  some friends.

Except for the fact that Mindy's family wasn't with us, it was one of the most enjoyable Christmases I have had in a while.  I loved spending extra time with Him each morning, focusing on the reason we celebrate.  Focusing on Him.  His gift to us.  Emmanuel, Christ WITH us!  

"Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonder He has done."  1 Chronicles 16:11

FOCUS!

A busy weekend before Christmas

Last weekend, we made a quick trip to Arkansas.  I had time to go to my Bible study Christmas party, although I had to leave a little early.

We needed to deliver this go-cart that our grandson purchased.  He'd found it on-line and had Papa pick it up since the owner lived about a half an hour away from us.  Papa, him and the owner were on their phones, facetiming and negotiating before we brought it back to our house, where it has been sitting in our garage waiting to be delivered.

Besides delivering a go-cart, we were headed to go see Eli play basketball in Siloam Springs and to go to Branson to see the Christmas lights.  

On the way, on 412, we came upon a deadly accident.  We have seen too many accidents in all our travels.  Makes us realize how much we need to be aware of traffic around us.  We never know when the Lord may call us home.  We must be always ready.  I realized that this day was the anniversary of the day my own mother met Jesus face to face.

Reading about it later, we read that the 2 who were killed were outside 

their vehicle when another car ran into them.  Allen and I decided that if 

we need to pull over when we are traveling, that we need to get off 

on the exit ramp, cross onto the on ramp and pull way over.  Then if 

someone does hit you,  they will be going fairly slow.

Sure was fun to watch Eli!  Brings back memories of going to his daddy's basketball games all those years ago!

When we got to Josh and Staci's that evening, we celebrated Staci's birthday!

Josh and Staci's Christmas tree is so pretty!

The next morning, we headed to Branson.

The road to Branson was a road we had never been on before.  It was very wind-y and I do not tend to get car sick, but I surely did on this road!  Bought some saltines at a store.

We found the VRBO that our friends Chuck and Sharon got for us.  Really nice.

We girls decided to do some shopping so we left the boys and went to Branson Landing.  After a couple hours, we went back to the condo and we went to Silver Dollar City.

All so pretty!  

We met up with Staci's parents and had cocoa with ice-cream!  

I've never had that before!  Staci says it is their tradition.

The next morning, we ate breakfast and said our good-byes.

Good-bye to the hills of Missouri!

We took Highway 60 on the south side of Springfield which was new to us.  And then my GPS took us onto 96 west and then on a country road 266 (paved).  My GPS must be set for shortest route?  Not sure, but it often takes me on odd-ball roads!!

I always want to travel roads I've never been on I don't mind!!

We turned west on Baseline Road.  This is north of Carthage, Mo.

A coyote ran right in front of us.

Close to Pittsburg, we were back on the main road.  And all was familiar again.  Climbing out of the Flint Hills, a truck veered over the center line heading right toward us!!  Al had to veer over and then the driver realized and pulled back into his lane.  Whew!  The Lord was our Protector this day.  

When we got home, we had time to rest for just a bit.  Al had a surprise for me.  He wouldn't tell me what it was.  We drove to Hutchinson to old Fox Theatre.  We used to go to the movies here back when we were dating in our teens!

Evidently this group, The Texas Tenors, was on America's Got Talent and since then, they have been touring a lot.  Allen got us tickets to go!  A fun way to finish out the weekend before Christmas!