Christmas Eve

 Damon helped me make the mints this year.

Grandpa reserved his church for Christmas Eve. Our family has gotten a little bit too big for us all to fit in his house. We went early and Al and I cooked the little smokies and cheese bread in the church kitchen.

Paul and the kids set up the tables and chairs and then played basketball.

Tessa and Hallee exchanged gifts.

We love the Christmas Eve dinner every year.

It all turned out delicious.

It's so fun to have all these babies around! Each of them have their own unique personalities and I just love getting to know them. They're all so cute!!

Mel and I did a quick little Bingo for Clara and Zariyah. They loved their prizes and put the skirts on immediately.

We all played Bingo together this year.

There's always lots of laughs during Christmas Bingo!

The kids loved the books they got in the Grab Box.

It was really good to be together. The church worked out well with all the space and things for kids to do.

I felt many emotions all at the same time that day. I loved being together with the family doing all the traditions we love. There's no place I would have rather been. And at the same time I felt some real emptiness without Mom there. It's been hard to have so many holidays right after her death: my birthday, then Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas. The year of firsts has felt pretty intense with so many holidays happening so quickly. I miss Mom so much, and feel it more intensely on holidays and big events that she would normally not miss. 

Sandy found this picture of Mom and Dad a couple months ago and Dad absolutely loves it. Mel enlarged and framed it for him. They look so happy and so in love!!