On Friday night, Dennis and I drove to Iowa to visit his family for Christmas. The fog was so awful because it was so warm earlier in the week! It was like driving in a dream and brought back the nightmare of hitting that deer last winter! I was not a particularly happy passenger. But then Dr. Laura came on the radio and Dennis and I just love listening to her blunt advice so that made the rest of the time fly by!
Saturday found us in Iowa City to visit with both sets of Dennis' grandparents. It was so nice to see everyone in Dennis' family and some I hadn't seen in about a year! We had a good time visiting and eating and playing a white elephant gift game. I don't think Dennis will ever live down nearly "plowing over" Grandma Hogarty after rolling those ever-coveted doubles. ;p So funny! We rode over with Ellen and Chris (Dennis' sister and BIL) and the weather was so awful on the way home! Chris was a great driver though and got us back to Des Moines safely. :)
On Sunday, Ellen and Chris met us at church where Pastor Weaver had a lovely sermon from Isaiah outlining that while our sins are as scarlet, they have been made white as snow by Christ's death and resurrection. Very appropriate for how snowy it was outside! As a sidenote, it was so nice to hear a sermon inspired by the Word of God rather than by an inspirational book as my pastor here at home has taken to.......anyway......that's another post altogether!
After church, we opened presents with Dennis' family and had a good time visiting. Then Dennis and I went to visit Scott and Trisha and their 2 girls. Scott is still in rebellion and we are continuing to pray that it will be broken and his heart will venture back to his family again. Only God's wide angle lens knows what will ultimately come out of this situation, so I will trust him to carry them through.
(Danes, Youngs and Stockings)
We came home Monday to get ready for the first Christmas celebration at OUR house! I prepared a lot of the food beforehand so I wouldn't be so overwhelmed when everyone arrived. That was a great idea! Everyone was late due to a lot of snow, but when they arrived, I was able to visit, rather than have to be trapped in the kitchen. While there wasn't a culinary catastrophe with me at the helm, I did make a little boo-boo......I made the turkey upside down! I couldn't figure out why I couldn't see the little plug that should pop out when the turkey is done and couldn't find the drumsticks, but chalked it up to a weird bird. My dear mother then spotted my error and we both had a hearty laugh about it after I turned about the shade of a radish!
(momma hen and her chickies)
(Dad and the girls)
Everyone had a wonderful time and it felt so good to hear giggles and chuckles and shouts of glee and pure joy resonating in our home from tickles and scaring and rough housing. It was indeed a most wonderful time of year!
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