we have been super blessed this yr. to spend christmas with lots of family…just not the family we’re used to spending it with. it was different, but fun. loud, but unforgettable : ) i wouldn’t trade spending time with extended family for anything…especially when it’s time spent w/our kids’ great-grammas & grampas. chr.eve was spent in arp, tx. w/papa rick, grannie and deenie – watchin’ e.t., shrek the 3rd and toy story 2, opening presents – angel got her 1st real-life baby doll that opens and closes her eyes & bray got a cool gun that shoots mini-marshmallows! – and we ate the most delicious meal jan prepared…topped off w/several servings of deenie’s incomparable ‘chocolate delight’. we had a great time just talkin, eatin’, taking in the beautiful scenery there & playing w/toys & w/their new rescue-dog ~ a pretty black & gold cocker spaniel named lizzie.christmas was also memorable w/the ebner side of the family in kilgore- eatin’ a great big lunch @ brenda’s w/cousin corey & megan’s lil family too – what fun with all the kiddos. aunt brenda makes the best stuffing ever…& the pies? i could go on & on, but aunt sherry made 3 pies & transported them in a custom pie carrier proudly hand-crafted by uncle frank, bit by bit over the last 2 years. kent & sunny made conversations interesting as always, but kent had a bad sore throat which limited his speaking. he may have left a gift of a cold & sinus infection w/us b4 leaving 4 elgin again. we heard he threw up twice on the way home! : ( other gifts – too many to recall – were opened w/huge smiles & thankful hearts in front of gam’s biggest tree. it was ornately decorated w/her hand-made jeweled & beaded christmas balls. sam and brenda did such a great job helping her; it was all so beautiful. i pray the lord blesses the whole family here in tx, as well as our families in oregon…who know just how much we miss & love them. can’t wait til i fly up w/angel jan.7th! praise the lord. he has been so good to us.
Chelan 