Christmas Eve

Too bad someone hasn't figured out how to harness a child's energy at Christmastime. Today alone, I'm sure we could power a town with the volume of our children! For weeks they've been too excited to play. They just sit around and stare at the gifts under the tree, and beg to open just one. To think tomorrow is the day! Thankfully we were receiving a skype call right as we were headed down to bed. Geoff saw that it was Santa calling to see if the girls were asleep! They were in bed and forcing their eyes closed in a wink! And after today's anticipation they were conked out in no time.

We had a full day. All of us worked on preparations for a big Christmas Eve feast. In the afternoon six missionaries joined us in putting together some boxed dinners from the food we had prepared. We then walked down to our local market where we have become acquainted with some homeless people. They sit near the carts. (You have to put a euro in the grocery carts to use them, and then when it's returned the euro comes out and it can go back in one's purse or in the little bowl by the homeless person.) There are a couple from Hungary, one from Germany, another from Switzerland, and a gentle, downtrodden man from Holland. Two wouldn't accept our food, but the man from Holland gracefully accepted, as he is more familiar with us, and had friends who he wanted to give our other boxes to. The girls even brought bones for the three dogs there. They, of course, gladly received!

We came back home to sit down to the feast ourselves. Like the missionaries, we miss our families during the holidays, and it was nice to be together.

The time came to read and act out Luke 2. When it comes to drama our girls mean business! They ran for costumes, outfitting themselves in different robes and head scarves for each of their roles. Ceci was Mary and a shepherd, Adele was a very serious Joseph and a shepherd, Tennie was the a donkey, the angel and a wise man, I was the innkeeper, a shepherd and a wise man, and Geoff was the narrator and cameraman. It was quite a production! The girls then opened a small gift, we read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and off they went to bed.

Ahhh...quiet at last. It ought to last until, oh...6:00am!