Merry Christmas!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Jose and I celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple, although we've spent the previous two Christmas' here in CA. Everyone asks, "What traditions are you going to make?". It's a great question. We have a few, but really it can't be a tradition unless we repeat it a couple years. I think that lots of traditions come when you have children. We put up a tree, some lights on the railing of our little porch, set out the Christmas cards and pictures we received, put stockings by the fire place, walked around "Christmas Card Lane" to see lights, and went to many Christmas parties. No matter what traditions we choose we must remember the reason why we have to celebrate.

Luke 2:8-14 (ESV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

Saturday night we had a game night at our home. We ate dinner together and then played mafia. It was a lot of fun to fill our apartment with about 25 people. Maybe we can carry this on and make it a tradition.



Christmas Eve we went to church in the morning and then in the afternoon went to a family's house (The Turbedsky's) from the church. We appreciated having a place to go and be with friends. After we came home, we opened one present from each other - Jose got me a big wooden picture frame with a Scripture on it and I gave Jose a journaling Bible. We ended the night by watching "It's a Wonderful Life"...well part of it because I fell asleep as usual.

On Christmas morning we drove up north to eat breakfast at IHOP with Jose's grandparents, dad, brother, and uncle. Some more family came over to the grandparent's home and we visited with them for a little bit. We stopped by to visit the Nair family on our way home. When we came home we opened our presents (you can see silly pictures we took of each other). Jose then continued to write a paper that he's been working on for a history class he's taking at a seminary, while I made a cheesecake. For dinner we went over the the Fierro's house (family from our church) and had a good time.

The year 2006 is coming to an end! We plan on celebrating the new year with friends in Yuma, Arizona. You ask "what's there?" The Buchina family, a lot of desert and a growing community.
Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!