Counting My Blessings

We're ahead of the times. You all are just settling into your Christmas Eve festivities and gifts and yummy food. That is so yesterday for us.

Well, anyway...Kendall is working tonight so we had our celebration last night. Out of 8 nights, he's working 7. Last night was the one he had off so we took advantage of it.

We had fun eating fondue. Of course the boys couldn't understand why we had to do dishes before we could open the coveted presents. They were so excited. At one point Eli announced, "You know what the best thing about Christmas is? The presents!" Then he added, "And then Jesus!" (After I tucked them into bed tonight I did hear him talking to Evan. I couldn't hear all of what he said, but it sounded like he was now saying that Jesus is the best part. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.)






Drinking egg nog. (Homemade! I had never made egg nog before this year. It's really good!)


Hanging up my gift from the boys: A bird feeder. They thought it was great fun to try to keep it a secret from me. Don't tell them, but I knew anyway.

So last night we all slept in the living room, a tradition of both the Millers and the Hochstedlers. Whew! Glad we only do that once a year! We hauled our big mattress out to the living room because dog-gone-it we're not camping! Kendall and I had a secret plan of letting the boys fall asleep then watching a movie from bed. Well, that plan slowly disintegrated when Evan took FOREVER to fall asleep. We were so tired that we gave up and went to sleep ourselves.

But in the meantime, we were treated to quite the show. That kid was all over the place! Rolling across the floor in his sleeping bag, throwing my slippers on my head, getting rid of his sleeping bag and pillow, whacking me on the head to tuck me in with his special blanket, trying to sleep across our feet, etc. etc. We would tell him sternly, "Evan, you need to hold still and be quiet!" Then we would lie there shaking with laughter. At one point we heard thumping. Then a little voice: "Dad, how do you do a flip?" Yes, he was practicing. Another time he joined Eli in a favorite Christmas song: "Mary, did you know that your baby boy would walk on water sometimes?" Anyway, Kendall and I gave up on any plans of staying up later than the boys and fell asleep.

Today we laid around until late. That was nice, but the rest of the day was more difficult. We know that the Hochstedlers are together in Iowa right now. We figured out that we haven't missed a family Christmas get-together with either side since we're married. So that seemed to have an effect on our day. It's really hard to miss that. And Kendall is working a lot right now, which also affects both of us.

We had a rather blue day. On the way to the Christmas Eve service tonight Kendall suddenly belted out a rousing rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas. He made it heartily all the way through the first line, then gave up and said, "Never mind. I thought maybe it would help." Oh well, his humor did help.

But today I looked across the parking lot and saw Donald drunk and falling down in the snow with his friends trying to help him up. A relative of his recently froze to death outside her door here in Red Lake. She had her key, but just didn't make it inside. He mentioned it, calling her his mother, yesterday at soup kitchen. I also thought of all the women and children who have husbands overseas in the military. I'm glad I have my husband here over Christmas and, more importantly, year round. Tonight at the Christmas Eve service, Kendall leaned over to me and mentioned our friends who are missionaries in Morocco. I had also been thinking of them during the service. They are much farther from family right now and in a foreign country. Following God to Morocco has been a lot more intense than my following Him (and my husband) to Canada. I know Nathalie is also working tonight and Rod is celebrating without her. In fact, so many people have to work on Christmas. And so many people don't get to celebrate with lots of family.

I have so many blessings and I want to remember that. It's too easy to focus on what I'm missing. So tonight I'm thankful that Kendall can be a nurse and that he has plenty of work. I'm thankful for a healthy family. I'm thankful for families that love each other. I'm thankful for a community that cares about us. I'm thankful for a warm house and enough food. I'm thankful that I get to see Kendall every day. I'm thankful that God is leading us and that he has good plans for us. I'm thankful for Immanuel- God With Us.