A December to Remember

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The space between Thanksgiving and Christmas is an interesting span of time.  Sometimes the kids have a little more time on their hands, while it seems only to pile on heavier for parents as they juggle the usual work and parenting loads along with all things Christmas (activities to attend, "things" to brainstorm,  surprises to plan and rituals to implement).  Squeezing in a game of Headbands??  Always a good idea. 

We started the virtual school year with lofty goals of collared shirts still required, shoes on, sitting up straight at a table for school work.  Now?  If the puppy "needs" to be used as a pillow, so be it!  I still spy a collared shirt:-)  

Dody and Granddaddy returned for a brief Christmas visit and made lots of progress on the NYC (RIP) puzzle before the Olivet Nativity!

And while all good things must come to an end, I wasn't prepared for the annual cranberry margaritas with my FHRENS to end for reasons other than COVID.  It's apparently just.too.hard. to get together anymore with jobs, second home renovations, surgeries (parent and child), households reduced to one car, etc.:-(  Too bad I was already prepared. 

A dear member of Olivet made this nearly life-size nativity for all to enjoy during this crazy time that the beautifully decorated sanctuary is closed, except by appointment only. 

The staff-lead "Drive-Thru Nativity" was an incredible journey through Bethlehem...a lovely substitute for our usual visit to "Bethlehem Village" in Afton.  The script was beautifully written.  The staff stayed in character with their friends and congregants remarkably well in spite of the frigid temps.  Several hundred people drove through the stations to enjoy the retelling of the Christmas story in touching fashion.  A new tradition or an exhausting COVID one-and-done??  Who knows, but it was incredibly well done and an amazing gift to our community. 

And then, it was early Christmas-------Dody sauce from Williamsburg!!!!

...and festive hairbows:-)

...and silly faces...

Not a fair capture of Granddaddy's involvement at the time (as we relived their early-career days), it may be the only picture I got of him as Dody and Margaret enjoyed the "yearbook". 

The first-day-of-school-break called for Grandma's clever Gingerbread Houses, decorating via Zoom (so Mom could work!).  The pop-tart houses she kindly delivered to Michael in Arlington were brilliant since we couldn't be with her. 

Among it all, regular life continues.  Haircuts in the garage....

....and "conveniently" scheduled 2-day swim meets just far enough away that we can drive back and forth each day so Mom could spend the extra hours "doing Christmas" instead of lounging in a hotel room.

Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, VA----a beautiful facility in a COVID-safe environment, requiring ALL parents on duty to keep kids apart, to be on bathroom security, and countless other COVID-demanded responsibilities...worth it to see their hard work pay off with time drops in 8 events each! 

My co-volunteer told me today was my day to commit a crime---that this bathroom referee (who only wanted to break the rules to use the athlete-only bathroom herself!) would never be picked out in a line-up! 

This kid swam lights out the first day and for the first time since he was, oh, 5 years old, he napped all the way home. 

Things that didn't happen this fall, thanks to the COVID:

The military academy that we will not visit this year??

No games with Uncle Mark or Lane Stadium cuddles with Mom:-(

 

But here's to the prayer that they can return to camp this summer....Matthew included!  By the grace of God, somehow the Summer's Best Two Weeks and Greystone schedules overlap by 5 days this summer AND Matthew is FINALLY eligible to attend!  

So if the world is able to return to any semblance of normalcy, we may be able to reschedule part of our 15th anniversary trip.  While we'd like to be optimistic, it seems entirely too early to have much hope in that.  But we shall see - when was the last time that WE were promised that WE were in control?!?

A blast from the past---who knew that exactly 10 years later, what we would celebrate on Dec. 17th would be Michael's Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination!

Ready or Not, it's the Holidays

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 Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, VA - an incredible venue and beautiful pool. 

My Wednesday morning running buddy is getting harder and harder to enjoy:-)

  If you don't have swim practice at 6:00am Thanksgiving, you may as well serve
breakfast at The Haven with Olivet's Youth Leader.  What a wonderful way to start the day!

 Final destruction of the 4-D Harry Potter puzzle that's been moved around the house for two years.

 Since Granddaddy was here, may as well have him help with the audition for Veritas' Virtual Christmas Concert.  The nice thing about being involved with two well established virtual schools is that they have rich traditions already in place. (Spoiler alert, since I'm writing this so much later - the actual event was quite impressive----ridiculous talent among these students---meaning, NO.  The Killians did not make it:-)

 

The girl is starting to like Chestnut Soup!

 Fun new "Thanksgiving" poinsettias were available this year.

Dody's Advent - "everyone's" FAVORITE game, I promise, followed by what Granddaddy's do best.

Penny's just a tiny bit bigger than last time we took her to the Christmas Tree farm.

These two still enjoy breaking out the Fisher Price Nativity Set and our Bill's handmade nativity puzzle.

 

These guys filmed the lighting of the Hope candle and "twisted it on" during the chilly service at Meadows as well as doing the virtual lighting for Olivet.  So many Hope candles...does that give us extra HOPE?!?

 

 

 

They also virtually lighted the Hope candle and made Advent Wreaths at Olivet.  Matthew was SO into it while Margaret was making ornaments with The Creative Wagon.  It was a beautiful, fun time together.

Also a "pick-up event" day, we left with more loot than we could carry.  Our Kingdom Kits are filled with so much to do at home! 

 

Our first visit to the outdoor chapel at Olivet.  What a unique, special little spot.

A toast to the new, beautiful "slender" 9' foyer tree.

Experimenting with our two wreaths, and Margaret's Greystone candle.

 We spent a full week in heaven in Michigan and got not one single family pic. So, later than ever, we called on our dear Jenn to save the day.  And she pulled off her magic once again:-)

 

2020 has certainly been a year no one could have expected. In some ways, the devastating blows that began in March seem like years ago already.  Our new normals have become sad routines.  Our country has been stripped apart on principals, as now happens every four years.  The world faced unique and ugly challenges.  But we all had choices how to respond. 

But my prayer is that health and wealth will no longer be taken for granted; that employment will be viewed as a gift rather than a burden; that school will be celebrated as an opportunity to learn and grow, rather than a break from the kids; that people will think more about others and less about themselves; that love will conquer all; that Jesus will get more attention; that God will be the one we trust with control.  

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”  Matthew 3:15