a good day {christmas 2010}

On Christmas Day, we spent the morning at home, just the three of us.  We slept in (!! ...with a 6-year-old!) and finished our advent activities.  We took our time opening presents, playing with our new toys, and reading our new books.  It was a wonderful, relaxing morning, celebrating together and enjoying each other's company.

After a late lunch, we headed to Hubby's parents' house to spend the afternoon and evening with his family.  We played board and card games,

ate a lot of food, played around on the frozen pond (can you see the goldfish under the ice?),

exchanged gifts and sang Christmas carols together.

As I mentioned a post or two ago, our Christmas was bittersweet this year.  We had a fun time together as brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, cousins and grandparents, but we all knew it might be the last Christmas we would get to spend with both of Hubby's parents.

Hubby's mom is in the later stages of Alzheimer's, and we just found out a week or two ago that the cancer Hubby's dad had battled a year ago (and, we thought, successfully conquered) has returned and spread.  The doctors have already told him that they can provide treatment to give him some more time and make him more comfortable, but there is little else they could do. 

After dinner, we gathered around the two of them, shared scripture, sang, and talked about the legacy they were leaving behind.  Family members shared their appreciation for what they had taught their children (and daughters-in-law and grandchildren), and we let them know that we would continue to stand beside them as they faced the challenges of the coming year.  It was a blessing to have everyone there together - with eight kids (and spouses and families) in three different states, it can be sometimes be a challenge to get everyone in the same place at the same time.  But everyone was there.  It was meaningful, rich and good.  Afterward, we went back to board games and chocolate snacks and wrestling matches between uncles and nephews, but there was a new sense of closeness.  We don't know yet what the coming year will hold and who will be there at the next Christmas gathering - but we have a wonderful, blessed day to look back on and remember.  It truly was a good day.