Feliz Navidad!

Just wanted to pop in to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
We are enjoying the afternoon off of work and resting up for an evening of Buena Noche festivities with the kids in Casa 4(one of the homes for Children here). I'm looking forward to a traditional Mexican feast this evening. Supper will be late but it will be worth the wait I'm sure. Each of the 6 Casa's are hosting a Christmas Eve dinner. I'm tempted to see how much I can eat in one evening and just start Casa hopping. They are all preparing something different. Its a big event and they've been preparing and buying food all week. After supper all the kids here open their gifts and stay up late. I will take a gift for each of my kids to open tonight as well. We will save the others for morning. We need something to do tomorrow. I'm sure they will all be up at 6 am regardless of how late we are out tonight.

Tomorrow we are planning to go visit Minerva and Alvaro's family. We have some presents to give them and promised we'd stop in on Christmas day. We will probably visit and give some gifts to some other friends in a nearby town as well. It will be fun. Other than that our Christmas day will be spent phoning some family members and enjoying the gifts we were sent.

Buying and giving gifts this year is so rewarding and fun. Its really amazing to give when it is a very appreciated blessing to someone else....not merely just an obligation or a tradition.

This year Christmas has been different in so many ways already but so far I think this Christmas season has been the most memorable and special ones we have had. Its just been such a different focus for us.

I do miss sneaking butter tarts from the freezer and sitting around a fire with my family. I miss my moms baking and the savory Christmas evening spread of hor duerves. I did manage to score some pumpkin pie though and bought the kids some wafer cookies today. :) That will have to suffice for this years Christmas sweets. I'm sure there will be lots of delicious food tonight...just different delicious foods.

Have a very blessed and joyous Christmas day!