Joy!

Nicki is officially moved in and we went out to dinner tonight to celebrate.

My parents are home from Africa and my father needs 40 lbs. of pecans for one of his customers.

Tomorrow is the last day of school before Christmas break and everyone has parties scheduled. I'll be in the Kindergarten class with Daelyn. Boy, am I looking forward to a fun day.

We got our Christmas package from Don's parents today. When we got ready to open it and put the presents under the tree, Don said to call Grandma and Grandpa and ask them if we should be concerned that the box had Post Office tape wrapped all around it that said, "Received in Damaged Condition". I left a message on their answering machine, then we opened the box. Everything inside looked fine. I took all the presents out and looked at the gift tags. Just then, the phone rang - Grandma Doughty. Turns out, some presents fell out of the box. We're missing a very expensive one for me, two for Don and another for Deanna.

Hopefully we'll be able to track down the missing presents and claim them prior to December 25. Don goes back to work, after a week off, on Thursday, so tomorrow is his last day home. And I'm finally really moving forward in my preparations for Christmas, thanks to the helping hands of my dear friend, Kelly, yesterday.

If you prayed for us, thank you. I am much more peaceful this evening than I have been in weeks. The house is starting to look like Christmas as I decorate, tackling small areas at a time. The sense of excitement from the children is almost like a rainstorm - clouds hanging low in every room, just waiting for the crash of lightning to erupt.

I love Christmas. I love the weather, the excitement, the meaning, the gift-giving, the lights, the smells, the music, the food, the fellowship . . . I can even put up with the commercialism, I love the other aspects SO-O-O-O much.

God is good. And, over the next week, we'll again experience the extent of His love for us as we celebrate the beginning of the life that bought our salvation. A tiny baby, the mystery of the star, smelly, poor, humble shepherds worshipping on their knees, all of creation bristling with excitement and joy.

May your life and home bristle with excitement and joy as we wait in anticipation of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And may the Christ Child reign upon the throne of your hearts in the coming year.

Merry Christmas!