Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I feel like I blinked and December happened!  We had a fun filled time these last two months from Thanksgiving meals, play dates with friends and an impromptu trip to the beach!  For the first time, I hosted Thanksgiving at our house and we enjoyed all the leftovers for several days.  It was the first Thanksgiving experience for our niece and nephew so it was fun to share that tradition with them.  I think they became big fans once they saw the dessert table!  

We've met a few other families with Ecuadorian and North American parents and kids close in age.  It's been fun to do some play dates together and we have begun a new tradition of getting together for a cookie exchange, hot cocoa, singing and bonfire!  I was so grateful that the weather cooperated and we were able to be outside.  I remember feeling kind of lost my first Christmas in Ecuador, newly married and in Shell.  It didn't feel like Christmas without the cold weather and traditions of my family but this year I feel like we really embraced the little things that make it feel special.  (Playing Christmas music non-stop every day might also have something to do with it!).  

This year, we did an advent wreath with the kids and I found that much more manageable than a daily reading...and it was a nice pause in our week to light the candles and remember each week's focus as we anticipated Christmas Day.  A reminder for me to pause.  

We are closing out the year and there are still many unknowns for what will come in 2022.  I remember last year I bought some Christmas print masks on clearance and thought, "well, this is probably silly because we won't still be wearing masks in Christmas 2021" but yet, here we are.  Who could know?  Since YL takes a few weeks break during this time of year, we took advantage of the school break to go to the beach and make some memories.  We don't know yet if next school year we will be back to just one kid in the house or not.  We don't know if we will be allowed to do large group gatherings for camp or not.  It feels like this "not knowing" will be a continual theme for the unforeseen future.  I imagine Mary, the mother of Jesus, had many similar feelings of not knowing.  Despite not knowing or fully understanding her response was "I am the Lord's servant" (Luke 1:38).  I pray that my heart and my words can be the same.  

Bonfire with friends!

Making some ornaments

Merry Christmas!

December YL Newsletter