Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I'm still recovering from the madness. I worked all day putting away the mountains of toys and gifts. The kids have had a blast. Phoebe was very sweet this year since she could really grasp what the excitement was all about now. She loved her stroller from Santa. Chloe's favorite gift has been her Nintendo DS. Owen liked his too, but not as much as Chloe. He had me putting Legos together all day yesterday. Mom and Dad got them a Wii and that's been fun. I like having everyone home from school and work. Our schedule has been out the window, but that's okay. Here are a bunch of pictures of the Wild Things opening presents.



















And because I never get tired of hearing the Christmas Story, and because Christmas isn't about all the presents, here is the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke 2:1-20.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he belonged to the house and lineage of David. He went to be enrolled with Mary, his espoused wife, who was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very afraid.

But the angel said to them, "Do not fear; for behold, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests!"

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.