December 24th--Baking Cookies and More

Next we went over to Grandma and Grandpa's to get our picture taken for the newspaper (Gabe was featured for having a new type of surgery several months ago). While we waited, we baked cookies. . . .

That afternoon I made my appetizers for our dinner that night. Then we got ready for church. Ethan ate his snack in his new car tent. . .

Kate was happy to see her Aunt Kristi again. . .

Here we are. . . Mary and Jesus (not in costume, of course). Hopefully I'll be able to add more pictures sometime, but this Christmas Kate got to play baby Jesus in the living nativity at our church on Christmas Eve, it was so special and definitely gave me a new perspective on God coming to earth as a baby. And I'm not just saying that because my daughter played Jesus (I know that sounds funny in itself--I'm not talking feminist theology or anything), but because God came to earth as a baby at all. And in the way that He did. And that there were guys that came by and bowed down to honor that baby. Man, I have heard that so many times and I know it sounds trite, but it's amazing.

So picture baby Kate in a white onesie with her little toes curled looking out at the world, and Tim carrying a lantern, wearing head-gear, a robe, and flip-flops (we had no other sandals), and me trying to hold myself together as we walked down the aisle, and then all of us looking out minutes later as shepherds bowed and the light of candles spread one by one throughout the congregation as we sang Silent Night and The First Noel. It was a moving night, and one that I won't forget.