Monday, December 25, 2006

Christmas 2006....

Christmas 2006 is almost over. It's been fun and busy the past few days as we entertained friends, family, and neighbors.

Friday night we had 40 Republican activists over for food, drink, and lively conversation. These are the grassroots, the ones who work the hardest, the ones who give their time because they believe in the cause. Friday offered a tiny way to bring them all together and say "thank you" and let them know how much I care about each and every one of them. They uplifted me just by their friendship and presence in my home.

Saturday night our house was rocking with teens and twenty-somethings as our kids had friends over to eat and celebrate Christmas. They played board games, video games, danced, and just enjoyed being together. I love it when they are in our home because they are a great bunch of kids from various colleges and backgrounds. And not one drop of alcohol was consumed by any of them. Good kids....

Sunday night was Christmas Eve and we had a special young GOP activist who spent the evening with my family. Christmas Eve is family time for us ... the buffet is set out on the table for grazing throughout the evening, and we play board games, watch Christmas movies, and sing Christmas carols. This year I played the piano while our young friend played the guitar and we sang and laughed until we almost fell off the piano bench. Then I played the guitar, introducing him to some John Denver music, and he played and introduced me to 1800s folk music.

And then today -- Christmas Day. We opened gifts, admired and oohed, ate a pancake breakfast, sat around the woodstove and opened our stocking gifts, and had some peaceful time together before heading to dinner with my parents and my sister's family.

At my parents' home, once we all get together the volume escalates as we get rowdier and rowdier -- these middle-aged "kids" truly become children again as we tease and chase each other around the house after this package or that gift. Special somethings had been picked out for some ... others received sentimental gifts with special meaning ... and two in our crew received iPods this year -- the "pod" club, they are now calling themselves. The 11-year-old niece received a karaoke machine, thanks to Aunt SWAC Girl, so we have been having fun with that all evening!

In the dark of the evening the neighors' houses have twinkling white lights and candles in the windows ... it's beautiful and magical. And around the dining room table we prayed in thanks for our country, for the safety of Nate and our troops overseas, and for the gift of Christ.

Christmas 2006. May yours be filled with love.

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