My Christmas

This past Friday Donna and I celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple, and we did so at her parents house. We got there on Wednesday night, and met our friends at Bret and Heather's place, and we had a good time just catching up with our friends. We got back to Donna's folks house quite late and pretty much just immediately went to sleep.

The next day was Christmas Eve, and we spent most of that day playing on her parents Wii, and then went to church that night. While we loved seeing all the people we knew there, and were happy to be back at good old Pathways, a part of me couldn't help but miss going to the church that we are going to currently here in Buena Park. I just feel a connection there, and I'm pretty sure that Donna feels the same way.

Anyway, after church we came home, and just sat on the couches and hung out until about 10, and as the tradition went there in the Blaisdell House we watched a Muppet Christmas Carol, though some of us watched more than others (a.k.a. Donna fell asleep within the first 20 minutes.

Now as an outsider being brought in, Christmas is definately a different thing there. With my family we sleep in, and then open a few gifts in the morning. And then open more gifts in the afternoon and then some in the evening. We spread things out. This is completely different from Donna's tradition. There, everyone gets awakened at an early hour (7am) by Donna, and then once everyone comes in the living room they all open up all their presents at once.

Now there is something to be said for both traditions (except maybe the getting up at 7 part) it is on one hand nice to spread the gifts out throughout the entire day, but on the other hand it is also nice to just get it all out in the open so that you can have the whole day to use what you got, so neither is better... but I lean towards wanting to do it the way that I have always done it (doing it that way for 24 previous Christmas's made me biased)

As for the gift getting department, I really made out like a bandit, everyone did so well this year. I got pretty much everything that I wanted, and more (J and Les got us a Wii! Yipee)

That afternoon, I got to have a nice chat with my family over skype (that is an amazing program) and then Donna, Jo, Chris, and I beat the Raving Rabbid's game on their parents Wii.

Later that afternoon we had a huge ham dinner which I think my waist might be feeling now. It was delicious. I pretty much immediately after dinner fell into a Christmas dinner coma, and slept for about an hour while most of the others watched a movie.

That night, Donna and I went over to Brock's and then carpooled over to the movie theater to see Sherlock Holmes. Let me tell you that movie was fantastic. I loved pretty much everything about it and I honestly would recommend it to pretty much anyone.

We came home the next morning, and had to get back to the daily grind of work. It's nice though having the break from class. While I enjoy it a lot, it is nice not having to go to school every single morning.

Yesterday, the 27th of December, Donna and I celebrated our 6 month anniversary. We did so by going to work, and then when I got home cleaning our apartment, and then cooking Donna dinner, quickly followed by both of us going to bed at around 9:30 and sleeping till almost 10 the next morning... Exciting stuff I'm sure.

Anyway, with the New Year coming up this Friday, I guess I should start reflecting on my year, a year in review, if you will. With everything that has gone on for me, and for Donna, it would be good to look back.

Anyway I hope everyone's Christmas was amazing! and that as we continue to ponder God's remedy for our failings, that we would truly continue, not in the "Spirit of Christmas" whatever that is, but instead we would continue in God's Spirit, allowing Him to lead our lives so that we too can express the love and generosity that God first expressed to us first in a manger and ultimately though Calvary.