Christmas is Back!

 Not that it ever left - but this year has been filled with so much glad tidings!

Stacey and her family came for a visit the first week in December.  We did everything from matching PJ's to a big family reunion with the Hettingers and Daily Planet and Family Feud in the living around the fire.  It was so much fun having so much laughter in the house!  The kids participated in an oreo tasting poll and declared mint oreos a clear winner.

Next stop:  NYC - Stacey and Jake took the kids down on the train and checked into a hotel in midtown.  Right across from Radio City and Rockefeller Center!  How cool is that!  Bill and I spent Sunday with them at Rockefeller Center and enjoyed watching them skate.  What an iconic thing to do.  It certainly felt like a movie.  We took the train back to Poughkeepsie and they rested up and then hit Times Square and Ellen's Stardust Diner.  On Monday, Skip and I went drove back down to the City and met them at Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes!  Eve and Harriet ended up meeting us there too.  Eve bought her seats at the door which were right in the front of the theatre so the kids got to sit up close to experience the show.  Skip did amazing walking around the City.  After lunch, he and I stopped at Magnolia's Bakery for some treats to eat on the ride back home.

This weekend Bill and I spent some time together.  I am glad we made time for ourselves to enjoy rather than choosing to be busy.  We went to see The Chosen Christmas in the middle of a Saturday afternoon.  It was so uplifting.  There was incredible music by various artists and a short film of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, but to me, the words spoken in the narratives were powerful.  I hope to be able to see it again this Christmas season.

Sunday was our annual music devotional at Church.  I always make ziti to make it simple to rush out the door in the evening.  We had the Ashworth's come for dinner and they brought 2 missionaries serving in their ward.  It was such an uplifting evening.  Josephine wanted to steal the show and sing with the choir.  It was just delightful and I felt so uplifted by the beautiful messages of word and song from the whole weekend.

To think that God would send a baby to save the world gives me so much hope.  I know that Jesus is the promised Messiah.  God is with us.  Even when we don't realize it or see Him.  He sees us.