One of the things I most love about Christmas is that I can count on traditions...I am a sentimental person and I married a sentimental guy... course unlike me he is a little better at throwing out stuff ...I still have Katie's blankie and Adam's little overalls (as well as other countles boxes of stuff that brings back so many wonderful memories I can't bear to toss). Anyway I digress...
One of the things that has become a tradition in our family for the past 20 some odd years is the Men's Group Christmas Party. It always takes place in the home of the couple that has the newest home (consequently I have hosted a lot!)
This year it was at Susan and Bryan Rossman's home-thanks so much for hosting!
If you want to read more about the Men's Group you can go to our archives in the blog "Friends" [9-2-08]
To our dear friends in the Men's Group - we treasure your friendship and your prayers!
Merry Merry Christmas and here's to the next 20 years!
from l to r: Gary & Kelly Hodge, Elam & Betty Swann, Bill & Nancy Blomdahl,
Peggy & John Berry, Bryan & Susan Rossman, & us
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A somewhat newer tradition is one that began after our kids left home....Our friends Rick & Jane Rogers have a wedding anniversary on Dec. 1 and they asked us one year to babysit their daughter Sarah and we gladly said yes. Now we have been doing this for several years. Sarah and I make a craft (we started with painting an apron for her and then cooking dinner together)...some years the crafts were a total flop! Last year we made a gingerbread house and it was so successful that we did it again this year! A lot of fun!
Sarah brought a "sister" this year - the Rogers' exchange student from China - Yier Yin, whom we call Belle...Here they are making their Gingerbread Houses.
We had so much fun eating fondue for dinner (cheese & chocolate!) It was Belle's first time to eat fondue.
It was so much fun to do Christmas things with Belle and to glimpse it through her eyes. She is from Shang Hai, China and shared that in her country Christmas is commercialized and very few homes decorate. Merchants decorate the streets and stores in order to sell things. She asked me to explain the difference between Santa Claus and Jesus. Sarah helped me share a little.
I had planned to put up a lot of Christmas decorations but we were having so much fun that never got done. As I put up the manger the next night I was sad not to have Belle with me I would have liked to talk to her more and share how much I love putting up the manger - it is really my favorite part of decorating. I always wonder about that first Christmas and I strive to remember what the real reason for the season is, not getting lost in the stress and preparations. Belle made me focus on what my home reflects and she made me think of what I need to reflect. I think I decorated a bit differently this year...not more simply (can't go there yet!) but with a different goal in mind. I don't want our Savior Jesus to be outdone by Santa. I don't want anyone who is a guest in our home to miss who and why we rejoice.
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