Christmas Eve and New Years..

Every year we host an Open House on Christmas Eve. Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday to celebrate!
However with Christmas coming so quickly after Thanksgiving, it felt very rushed.

This year, our Christmas Eve Open House was a bit different. I lost one of my closest friends to a move far away.

On the positive side, this is the first year in my entire life that I was able to celebrate Christmas with my biological father. That has never happened.

I can remember as a child wishing/praying for him to come to Christmas. After about 10, I think I gave up on it.

My dad found the Lord several years ago, and we have been able to rekindle a relationship.  What a blessing.. What a testimony to God's timing.  What a testimony to unanswered prayers, at that time in my life.
God had a bigger, better plan.

Reminds me of this:

 sometimes i thank god for unanswered prayers
remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
that just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
some of god's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers(thanks Garth Brooks)

 

For my dad, it was his first Christmas home in over 30 years. That's a big deal! God does awesome things when we allow him to work in us. For that I am so grateful!

 

I wanted my dad's first Christmas home to be so special.  Unfortunately we had a minor cooking issue, which put my hubby in a fowl mood. And it was tense to say the least, but it all worked out for the best. We just ate a bit later then we hoped for. 







 

 

We normally head down to Washington's Crossing to watch Washington Cross the Delaware . But it was just too cold to go. 



 

On New Year's Eve, My hubby got spontaneous and said Let's go to Pennsylvania, for the night. Our camper is located there! I said, Let's do it!!

 

SO we loaded up and went out for the night. We found a local bowling ally out there and did a pizza and 3 hours of bowling fun to ring in the New Year! :)

My dad came and hung out with us for a bit. He missed the 9 strikes in a row my son got!!  While we went back to toaster warm camper, he went home.

 

Another first~ January 1st.  We had breakfast with my dad on his birthday. I've never celebrated a birthday with him! We went to Yoder's Buffet and ate really well!!!

 

I get the feeling that 2014 is going to be a year of firsts. I almost feel as if I have to pace myself!

 

 

Great is thy faithfulness, Morning by Morning new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.