We have had a great Holiday season!  Although we have missed family and friends more than usual, we have really enjoyed being together these last few weeks.  The Holidays last for about a month here...just a time to unwind and relax.  I have to admit, I love Christmas here.  It is so nice not to feel the pressure to shop a lot, give a lot, buy a lot, wrap a lot, decorate a lot, eat a lot.  It has been, in the past, such an exhausting, busy time that I have a hard time remembering to make it about Jesus.  Or even though I remember...it's just hard.   But this year we were able to really focus on Christ.  We did a great Advent story (Thanks Carol!!) that we read every night and it was so interesting that the girls were begging for "one more chapter" almost every night.  Because we had friends in the hospital, we had many opportunities for serving others and focusing on what OTHER people might need.  Which also helped us realize and be thankful for all we already have.  We had a great Christmas morning and then friends over for the afternoon and dinner.  We didn't even cook a big Christmas meal....just lots of cookies and dips and BBQ for supper!!