Christmas Day and All is Well

We had the loveliest of Christmas Eve Services last night. It was so awesome to have everyone there (except MIke, who chose not to be here. If you talked to him you'd know he would say he had no ride, but Kyle had offered to pick him up.

So I sat next to a very great couple at our church (I try not to use words like favorite, because we love all of our parishioners in different ways) and to my right was Salinda holding Gabby, followed by Henry, then Sadie, Tony, John Courtney and Isaac. Everyone else sat a couple rows back with Kyle and Christy. My husband sang a beautiful duet with one of the women from our church and preached a sermon that very much spoke to my life.

Afterwards we had dinner out -- Chinese -- a tradition that began when we lived in Luverne and nothing else was open on Christmas Eve -- and which reminds me of that very funny scene in "A Christmas Story." Kyle and Christy and Henry, Salinda and Isaac opened their gifts as well as those who were to receive "Secret Santa SIbling Gifts" from those people. We had MIkes gift with us, but he didn't come. Again, he will tell you he had no ride.

Kyle and Christy and Salinda et al left to go to the other side of the family for Christmas. We came home, wated around for about an hour and then headed back to chruch for the 10:00 p.m. service. Bart and I headed to bed around midnight feeling better than we have ever felt at the end of a Christmas eve.

This morning we started opening gifts later than usual and John and Courtney then left with Isaac for her family's Christmas. Gift opening was typical for us -- but not horrible. We enjoyed the time we had together and there were no major meltdowns.

Now I'm helping people set up electronics. I'm going to stop now before something happens that messes up the day.

Here are a few pictures to give you a taste... I may put some more on facebook later.