Our Christmas 2010 Cast of Characters

As the time and date on this picture attests, everything was ready and waiting just moments before the first welcome headlights appeared from Arkansas. Laura with her husband David and children Nathan and Megan made the long trek from Ft. Smith on Wednesday, December 22. When they drove into the driveway, I could finally proclaim, "Christmas is here! Christmas is here!" We had a quiet dinner and cookie-decorating session with the kiddoes before everyone headed to bed. Ahhhhh. A house with people upstairs.

By early afternoon on the 23rd, Matt and his wife Katie with their sons Luke and Seth arrived from Wynne, Arkansas (via Birmingham where they had been with Katie's family). Shortly after that, Julie with her husband Brian and their four daughters came in from Huntsville and my Dad (better known as Gramps) and sweet Stepmom June arrived from Troy. Suddenly, the house was buzzing and VERY lively!

3-year-old Maggie found a comfortable spot in the den to enjoy some juice. She was a little under-the-weather on this occasion, but at Thanksgiving she announced to her boy cousins that she was a princess, so they needed to kiss her. They refused to comply, but her Cousin Megan was willing. :)

Matt and his wife Katie enjoyed some adult conversation with their brothers-in-law before dinnertime while Seth and Maggie worked on decorating the Mele Kalikimaka tree. Matt pastors Wynne Baptist Church, and Katie manages Matt, their boys, and all the challenges of being a pastor's wife. She's a jewel.

Penelope got a new pair of sunglasses to enhance her pretty Christmas dress. She's a little blonde-haired, blue-eyed waif who can slip away quickly and quietly if we're not careful to count noses on a regular basis. She's beginning to talk a lot but still needs an "interpreter" for a lot of her words.

My Dad (Gramps) looks remarkable to be 83 years old. Don't you think? We are all so blessed by his good health and very sharp mind. He keeps us all straight . . . still! Standing next to him is Julie's husband Brian, something of a Paul Bunyon look-alike. :) He has his own electrical substation repair and maintenance business called AMP -- in case you need anyone for that kind of job.

Laura's husband David is particularly fond of Facebook games right now -- Farmville and Frontierville -- in case you want to sent him some "gifts." On a normal workday, he works with prosthetics and orthotics. Laura teaches math for two on-line universities and is the MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) coordinator at her church.

Here is Julie holding Rosemary and my stepmom June Collier is holding Penelope. Rosemary arrived with a pretty outfit on, but, well, accidents happen and her clothes needed to be dried for a few minutes. Julie wears many hats. Besides homeschooling Allie and meeting the needs of her growing family, she is also active at Whitesburg Baptist and has many friends. Her home is a constant hub of hospitality.

Rosemary must be hoping that some new clothes are in some of the packages with her name on them. Her latest trick is waving. We're just beginning to uncover the nuances of her unique personality.

Nathan LOVES trains, so Granddaddy "just happened" to have a train set they needed to assemble together. They were both intent on their job while Megan quietly kept them company.

Sisters in the kitchen!! Don't I have pretty daughters??? They are both SO busy and live so far apart. Moments like this are rare.

5-year-old Luke is a great kid and a model kindergarten student. We like keeping up with the score during Auburn games. He got a camera from Steve and me and made hundreds of pictures starting the minute he opened it. He loves to arrange things and lets me know if my decorations need tweaking.

Nathan, Megan and I spent a little while decorating sugar cookies to be enjoyed by the rest of the crowd. I readily confess that tasting was involved, too. Megan particularly likes "doing it herself" and is convinced that she can do anything her brother Nathan can. :)

The first thing we needed to do when Seth arrived was celebrate his 4th birthday, which is actually on December 20. He was particularly glad to get this Cam Newton #2 jersey. I suspect he'll be wearing it on January 10 when Auburn plays for the National Championship. If you ever meet him, ask him to show you how his Daddy preaches and also ask him Cam Newton's phone number. :)

Before we opened presents, we had a short "program." Well, if your Grandmomma was an elementary music teacher I bet you'd have a program, too. Now wouldn't you? First, Allie read to us from Luke chapter 2 -- which was very impressive to the other grands. Then, we sang some Christmas songs, and Allie played "Jingle Bells" on her violin. She is pretty much self-taught and does a remarkable job (says the very biased grandmother).

Now, here's something that is not easy to do -- getting all 8 grandchildren in one place at one time so we can make their picture. We didn't promise that they would stand still, but aren't they beautiful? Going from Steve's lap to mine, you have Penelope, Megan, Luke, Allie, Seth, Nathan, Maggie and Rosemary is in the floor in front of Allie. Just think by next year there will be 2 or 3 MORE!!!! Julie's 5th child is due in June, and Matt and Katie will be adopting one or two children from Ethiopia within the next 5 or 6 months.

Julie's family left a little while after the presents were all unwrapped. Laura's and Matt's families spent the night and then headed on to their in-laws on Christmas Eve morning. Steve and I were alone for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, but we were savoring the moments we'd had, remembering the funny things said and done, and thanking God for His amazing blessings to us. What a treat to wake up to the beautiful snowfall on the 25th!

On Christmas Night, we hosted a gathering of my mother's siblings and their offspring that has gone on for as long as I can remember -- so, at least for 60 years. The icy roads kept a few at home, but 44 managed to make their way to our house. My Aunt Gloria brought her famous dressing, and my Aunt Joyce brought her much-anticipated creamed corn. My Aunt June came with a ham, and my Uncle Milton sent the shrimp. The others brought scrumptious casseroles, salads and desserts.
I am blessed to be a part of such an outstanding extended family -- all are godly people, pillars of their churches, and so loving to each other.

Steve and I consider our children, in-law children and grandchildren to be gifts from God, and we are so grateful to be a part of their lives. We love them unconditionally.

I have been aware this year of friends and acquaintances who faced this holiday season without a loved one who was with them just last year, and I have prayed for peace and comfort during this painful, sad time.

I don't want to ever take for granted the joys of this past week. So, now, in the next few days I'll put the decorations away and make my resolutions for 2011, and like Mary in the Bible, I'll "treasure up all these things, pondering them in my heart." Luke 2:19