December 24, 2011

Outside Temp: 41 F (yep... a dirt Christmas.  )

What I cooked today:
Ham: I made a ham for the pot luck after church.  It went over great!  Even the priest had seconds.  There wasn't a piece of ham left, which I take as a great compliment!

Update:
Today was one of those awesome, and yet exhausting days.

I started the ham and jumped in the car to head to town for some last minute shopping.  I made it back just in time to get the kids ready for church and to get the ham out of the oven.  Then we headed over to church.

After church, I ran home, carved the ham and ran over to the community center for the community party.  It started as one family (with 8 kids who are all now in their 60s) not being able to fit the family into anyone's house.  So, the family decided to rent the community center for Christmas eve, for the family party.  As years went by, they invited more and more people from the community.  This year, it was just an open invitation to everyone in town. 

After the party, we spent a few minutes of down time, then headed over to Patrick's cousin's house, in Belt, for chili and family time.  We chatted with them for a few hours, then headed into church for the midnight mass.

The midnight mass was at 9:00pm, and we offered to sing with the choir.  Patrick's grandmother was very active in the church when she was alive (and she taught just about everyone piano in a 40 mile radius!).  It was really awesome to have all 3 of Patrick's grandma's children in Church for Christmas mass.  And we were lucky enough to be a part of it. 

The choir selections were great!  Some well known greats, like Silent Night, The First Noel and O Little Town of Bethlehem.  And a few songs I had never heard before.  I'm hoping that in the next 10 years, I'll really get to know them all.  I haven't sung in a choir since high school, and it was really a great feeling.  I'd forgotten how much I enjoy singing.  And we are so lucky to have a wonderful church that let us become a part of them!

The kids did great with their second mass of the day, and we headed home.  After a 10 minute discussion, it was decided that they could open their presents tonight, instead of waiting for tomorrow.  I think Patrick just wanted to be able to sleep in tomorrow morning. 

Tomorrow, I'll upload the pictures I took of the kids opening presents.  I always love that part, even if it only lasted a few minutes.  I was just grateful to have my family together for Christmas.  It is not always a given in our family, as Ryan seems to end up sick more often than not.  Even now, I feel a sense of guilt even mentioning it.  But, today has been such a great day, I can't imagine anything messing it up.

I wanted to relay a story Father Paul relayed to us tonight.  When he was in Okinawa, 20 years ago, he was performing Midnight Mass for the troops.  The church was filled with men in their uniforms.  And at the back, was a woman, also in uniform, carrying a little baby.  The imagery and the symbolism of the room full of men, and a single woman with a baby, was not lost on him.  You can find God in many things. 

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I wish you all Peace and Love.