Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is one of my favorite days of the year. The start of the day is usually filled with last minute preparations, with electricity building in the air and winds down to a sweet reunion with family and a quiet, reflective time of what Christmas really means to me and to the world. A Savior, my Savior has been born!

I was fully prepared to stay back at the house and get food warmed up while the rest of the family was at the Christmas Eve service at church, but it really meant a lot to my brother that I not be left out, so he arranged to bring the service to me, which was just incredibly special!

It just so happens we have a myriad of pastors and singers and musicians and ushers and scripture readers in the family. And Amy's homeschool room and from entry serve very nicely as a make-shift chapel. Everyone worked to pull the pieces together and it was a holy night.

The oldest child from each family was asked to read an assigned passage.

And I got to see the girls perform their recital song live, Casting Crowns' Peace on Earth.

Dad led us in several traditional Christmas carols. The four 3 & 5 year-old men served as ushers to pass out communion and then our candles.

The "back pew" group.

Then it was party time and enjoying good company and the delicious spread of dinner and desserts that Amy put on....she and Colombo make a great team and are incredible hosts.

  My brother Tim and his sweet young family.

My sister Amy and her precious brood.

Yours truly with our crew.

And one Texas sister and her family is missing. :(

Packed in Amy's car headed down to my house to play Santa....stuffing the stockings is no joke around here.

Thanks for many of the pictures, Elizabeth!