For most people, the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays represent a flurry of activity and celebration that taxes energy levels, bank accounts, and both the relational and emotional reserves. For Wendy and me, Thanksgiving and Christmas are just the beginning. Along with Christmas we also get to celebrate Wendy’s birthday and our wedding anniversary in a ten day celebratory gauntlet.
Wendy’s birthday was celebrated with a date day in Des Moines. We went to the mall, did a little shopping, stopped into J. Crew to see Taylor, and went to see Sherlock Holmes in the theater. We then enjoyed a leisurely meal at The Club Car with our friends Kevin and Becky. I took my life into my own hands this year by buying Wendy clothes for her birthday. With the help of Taylor, who has become quite adept at helping people pick out clothes, we picked out a nice sweater and a dress for Wendy. I must admit that I didn’t do too bad with either one. One huge sigh of relief.
After our Christmas in Denver, the rest of the Christmas holiday seemed fairly low key. Christmas Eve day was spent at home. Wendy’s folks and her sister came to town for lunch. I played bass in worship for all three afternoon/evening services at church. Wendy and the family came to the 6:00 p.m. service. Wendy and I then went back to church at 11:00 p.m. to meet Taylor for the candlelight service.
Christmas Day dawned and the morning was quiet. Madison stayed in Colorado Springs to work over the holiday break. Taylor and Clayton were celebrating with Clayton’s family. So, Wendy and I enjoyed a quiet morning to ourselves. At noon the kids came over and jumped in our car and we headed to Des Moines to have lunch with Grandpa & Grandma Vander Well, Jody’s entire crew, and my brother Tim and his girlfriend Kumi. Grandma’s roast had inadvertently been left out of the oven, so it wasn’t done in time for lunch, but there was plenty of her homemade chicken and noodles over biscuits (and her homemade cinnamon rolls!) so no one complained. We opened gifts in the afternoon and Skyped Madison in to say hello to everyone.
We headed back to Pella late in the afternoon and opened gifts with the kids in the early evening. We had delivered gifts to Madison in Denver, but she waited to open them and we Skyped her into the festivities so we could all open gifts together.
The last Christmas celebration came on the 26th. The Halls came back to Pella for potluck at Grandma Vander Harts.
Wendy and I still have our sixth wedding anniversary to celebrate this weekend, but that’s another post 🙂