The past few weeks have been filled with much laughter, fun, and family. It has also had some scary and tearful moments as well. We have enjoyed three holiday programs that some of the kids were involved in. They had fun and they are still singing the songs. And then Christmas:
(I will post pictures at a later time.)
Christmas Eve brought tradition as we enjoyed "Carols and Candlelight" at my parent's church with all of the family. We then headed to my mom and dad's house for our traditional Christmas meal. It is a meal we all look forward to each year. Then we enjoyed the tradition of reading the Christmas story from Luke and Matthew. This year Grandpa was helped by Alex and Jack. They did a great job. We then enjoyed the gift giving. Always fun. Scary moments followed though, as we received a phone call from the neighbor that they had called 911 due to the chimney in my parent's house catching on fire. We quickly evacuated the house and watched as the police and fire department gathered to stop the fire and keep it from spreading. The fire was put out and we then entered the house to find a mess. However, no mess was too much of an issue, as we gathered to thank God for His safety and protection over each of us and the house.
Christmas morning came early and we enjoyed a big family breakfast (just the 6 of us) and then moved on to the presents. There were not as many gifts under the tree this year, but they were gifts that each child really enjoyed and appreciated. We then were lazy for the rest of the morning and early afternoon--including some good naps. We headed over to my parent's house again for some extra time with my brother and his wife. It was a good day. Much quieter than the previous.
Friday we had another lazy day. It was great. We spent some of the evening at my in-laws house as my brother-in-law and his family had come down from Chicago. It was nice to just be together.
Saturday morning we planned to celebrate Christmas with the Christner side of the family. However, plans quickly got moved back as we got the phone call that Grandpa King (Aaron's mother's dad) had passed away. We gathered the boys together and shared the news with them. They did not fully grasp all that was happening at that time. The tears for them came later.
We did end up sharing gifts that afternoon. It was a good release from the grief of earlier in the day. The hit of the day was the Wii that we received as our family gift. We set it up and tried it out. Everyone got involved. My mother-in-law showed us all that in a boxing ring she is NOT to be messed with.
Sunday was a quieter day as we spent time together with family and then our small group in the evening. But we all knew what Monday would bring; a time to say good-bye to a man we all loved. And Monday came. It was a time for remembering. Grandpa's service was well-done and the message of Christ and His salvation was clearly presented. Grandpa was then honored at the graveside with military honors. It was as he would have wanted it.
We look at 2009 with wonder. What will it hold? I am sure that there will be much laughter, fun, and family. (A new family member in April and a graduation from Medical school in May.) I know that it will probably hold some scary and tearful times as well. But through it all there is One constant. Our God. He never changes and His love for us is perfect. I hope that you know God and His love as you enter this next year. It will only make it sweeter.
