Christmas 2008

Well Christmas is finally over. I'm glad and sad at the same time. Since we have a blended family, we have several celebrations. First, we had Christmas with my family on Dec 21st. It was so much fun! We all got together at my youngest son's home and probably had one of the funnest Christmases we have ever had!!! Everyone got along, enjoyed the games we played, exchanged gifts with a new twist and ate too much!!! But even Mom had a great time!! Next was the best gathering, Christmas Eve service at Hazel Dell with our church family. I LOVE Christmas Eve services. Our pastor, all the staff and their families do the service and it is so meaningful. Very spiritual and just makes the whole season come together. My favorite part is the end with the candle light part. Just gives the true meaning to the season. Next we were at step-daughters house with hubby's kids. Sometimes this can be very stressful, but this year was very calm and quiet. Everyone liked their gifts and we enjoyed the granddaughter and grandson so much. Love watching little kids open gifts..miss that once our kids have grown up. Next was mother in laws on the 27th. Most of the siblings were there and a good time was had by all. Enjoyed seeing more extended family, some we had not seen for a few years, and once again, lots of nice presents and good food. Mother in law had started a new family tradition this year by having hubby, who is oldest of her children, read the Christmas story from Luke. The little kids were really interested and listened so well. Hope this is one tradition that continues. Finally, yesterday, the 28th, we had Christmas with my boys and daughter in law. Had a wonderful dinner of prime rib...daughter in law is a fabulous cook!!! Played some games on Wii and had a great time. Oldest son got me a Colts sweatshirt that I love, especially since I didn't have any Colts wear and youngest son and daughter in law got me the coolest blanket/throw/snuggle cover. I have already used it even!!! Hubby got what he likes most, Sears gift card!! He loves shopping for tools...guess they are like shoes, cant have enough!! So now we are done. Had to go back to work today to rest..LOL But not really, because next is tax season. Hard to believe it is here again. First we have to move our office to a new location though. Friday is the moving day and I think things will be very stressful at the office until that is done!! Hopefully things will go smoothly and we will get all moved and ready for work soon. Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and will look forward to a great New Year!!!

Brookside Youth Center

This Thursday hubby and I will be spending our day helping members of our church prepare a Christmas dinner for over 200 kids and their parents at Brookside Youth Center. This is the second year that we have done this for the center and let me tell you that the volunteers get a far bigger blessing than the kids!!! These kids come to Brookside every day after school for a meal, mentoring, tutoring and other classes. They live in the highest crime rate and prostitution rate area of Indy. They are bused in and they are also bused home. Most of them only get this meal and the one they get at school. On weekends, God only knows. During the summer, Brookside has a day camp every week day from 9am to 3pm. One of hubby and Is best friends is a member of the board for Brookside. We will start cooking around noon, the kids will arrive around 3:30pm and go to their classes. We will then provide a craft time for them, dinner and each child will receive a blanket, hat and gloves to take home as a gift. We will also have a worship time and singing time. I am looking so forward to doing this and being a part of this great program. These kids need one thing more than even the food, they just need attention. They come from homes that are filled with stress, poverty and parents, usually only one, who just don't have time for kids because they are just trying to make ends meet. It is a very sad story, but one that is growing by leaps and bounds in this time of recession, crime and a Satan filled world. I just hope that we can make a difference, even if only for a short time in each of their lives. We also hope that we can show God's love to their parents. Let them know we are here for them, we are praying for them and that God loves them very much. It will be a very long day, but I already know that I will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Tis The Season...

I love all the aspects of Christmas. I love being in church on Christmas Eve and participating in the candle light services. I look forward to driving around neighborhoods looking at the lighting displays and trees that you can see in the windows. Going downtown Indianapolis is tons of fun during the holiday. There are the store windows that are so cute, the lights on the Monument Circle and the really tall toy solders guarding the circle. I have lived here for alittle over 6 years and I have still not made it downtown to see the lighting of the circle. Seems like it is always so cold!! I love the holiday, I don't like the weather..LOL We have gone to Christmas at the Zoo and it is really beautiful. They have lights everywhere and there are ice carvings going on, hot chocolate being served and Santa makes a grand appearance. This year we are taking our 2 yr old granddaughter and I know that I will see things through her eyes that I have not seen before. She has a way of making even the cold fun. We are putting up our tree tomorrow evening and I am really looking forward to that. We have a 7 foot tree that we decorate in traditional red and green lights, lots of glass hearts and plaid ribbon bows. We have been collecting rustic ornaments as a couple for the past 4 years. We both love birds, feeding them all year round and watching them from our deck in the spring, summer and fall. So we have several bird themed ornaments. Before I was married, I always had a frilly tree..(that is what my boys called it), but now that I have someone who wants to share this part of the holiday with me, it's fun to do something we both like. Saturday evening hubby's Mom and Step Dad are coming for dinner and then we are taking them to our church's annual Christmas Choir show. It will be lots of beautiful music and fun skits. But even after all this, the one thing I look forward to more than anything is doing Christmas for people who would have had none otherwise. Last year our church started having a Christmas dinner for the kids at Brookside Youth Center. I am in charge of that this year and I will write more to tell you all about it. It is a very special night for lots of inter-city kids. Stay tuned....Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells!!!