Merry Christmas 2014

Our family at the Mt. Dajti pass, on our way to Darshen on December 23 to hand out food bags and gifts.

 

The last week has been a blur.  It's been full of meaning, memories, milestones... (I turned a new decade while also marking 20 years since my first visit to this land that's now 'home'.)  So many pictures to process and share!  We have been blessed with a really special Christmas season and we don't take it for granted.

 

But today we just rested.  We stayed in.  Just the four of us.  I don't think in our 15 years of marriage we've ever had a Christmas like that before and it was kind of freeing to be able to honor some of the Christmas traditions we've had, but also give ourselves the flexibility to start some new ones.

 

I made Mom Waggoner's Quiche Lorraine for breakfast.  We opened gifts.  The kids wore their pajamas all day and enjoyed their gifts.  We opened a few cards and a surprise care package we had saved for today.  We Skyped with family.  I scrolled through my newsfeed on FB and enjoyed the snapshots of the celebrations of family and friends, of gifts stacked under the tree, and wonderful words reminding us of the significance of this special, miraculous day.

It really felt like Christmas Day.  In fact, as we were Skyping with the Ohio Waggoners Reni remarked with sadness that the day was almost over -- a testament to the anticipation with which he has looked forward to this day.

 

Oh yeah, but then there was a wedding a few doors up the street with car horns honking congratulations and the kids were lighting firecrackers outside our gate.  It served to remind us that things are just a little bit different here -- but we savored a day with no agenda nevertheless.

 

Yes, we are apart from family but God has blessed us with friends who feel like family. 

Sure, we're in a land that doesn't necessarily hold the same values and traditions of our home culture but it's feeling more and more like home.

 

Thank you for your cards, your notes of encouragement, your gifts, and overall support. Merry Christmas to all and thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!