Christmas Eve

I should be going to bed as I need to get up early tomorrow morning to finish my packing for our trip to Bintan. But I wanted to write quickly about our Christmas Eve. It's the first time in 4 years that we were going to bed in our own home on Christmas Eve (even if we still aren't actually at our house in Austin). I threw a pre-made pizza in the oven (Zeny was off) for a quick dinner. We had already opened our gifts from each other, Aunt Lysh, Aunt Erin and Grandma and Grandpa. (The ones from Grandpa Joe and Gramsey and Gigi had long since been opened) The pizza was bad though I don't think warranted Jeff's exclamation that it was the worst meal he'd ever had (he obviously has blocked out some of my attempts at cooking). I ran to the grocery store to get drinks for today (we had friends coming over) and then we all showered and got ready for church.

Now I hate to admit how long it's been since we've been to church although, in our defense, it's not like church is something abundant in China. Singapore, however, is an entirely different story. I wanted a candlelight service on Christmas Eve like we always went to with my family in Salina. I found a Methodist Church that had one and we were off. In the cab on the way, Reed asked, "In church do we get to sit down or do we have to stand up the whole time? And is there a stage?" The cab driver was chuckling to himself.......

Anyway, the church was nice and really full. They had a puppet show going on beforehand, it seems they have a really big children's program there. The service finally started with the Christmas Story being told by mostly kids. There was a choir made up of all ages that sang the songs, the younger kids played the parts. There were 12 little girls in all white with wings and halos, the most precious angels! Most of you know how much I want to adopt a little girl. Since we've been in Asia I can't imagine my little girl being anything other than Asian. Of course these girls all have loving families but it was almost more than I could bear, they were all so darling I wanted to take each of them home! "Mary" was so precious, I just had to get a picture. The Wisemen were so cute too but I have no desire to bring another boy into this family! :) Here are some pictures from the service.

At the end was the lighting of all the candles and the singing of all the beloved Christmas songs. Graham (who had not been a poster child for good kids at church) fell asleep on Jeff's lap during the first or second song. I accidently dripped some wax on Reed's bare leg (he had on shorts) and he screamed and cried for awhile, saying "Mommy dropped FIRE on me!!!" He finally calmed down though refused to hold the candle anymore. I was trying to hold both his and mine and accidently lit the cup that was catching the wax on fire and had to blow it out. Jeff told me I was a danger to all in the church and couldn't be trusted with candles anymore. I laughed off and on and then thought about the time Erin and I couldn't stop laughing at the service we went to at Mentor church one year. That made me laugh more and I just about dropped the other candle! Anyway, we made it through, caught a cab in the rain home and got the kids to bed. Hope you all have had or are having a truly wonderful Christmas!!!