Saturday December 21 Dan's parents and aunt came down to celebrate Christmas. They arrived, and not long after Maria, her friend, Josue, and I left. We headed up to Camp Tecumseh to take Maria and her friend to the CILT reunion! I was feeling really bad and frazzled by the time we got there because we underestimated how long the drive took and also at one point I missed a turn, plus then there was me trying to park. Josue and I helped the girls carry in their stuff then went back to the car. I really wanted to see Sarah Wright, but after the stressful drive (which is actually a super easy drive) and being caught in the swarm of excited CILTS seeing each other (one of the best parts about the reunion, but a little overwhelming when you don't know any one but your sister), Josue and I just went back to the car. I was just about to pull out of my parking space when I saw a girl come running in my mirror, it was none other than Sarah Wright!!! I was so excited to see her and get to give her a big hug! She even knew that it was Josue with me in the car, who I have written about in some of my letters to her. It was awesome!
Josue went back to his house and joined Dan's family and I for Christmas festivities later. We had a big dinner together and had a gift exchange. It was fun seeing everyone pick out a present and open it, everyone was happy with what they picked out and no one stole from someone who had already opened one. We concluded our evening chatting and eating the delicious coffee chocolate cake my mom had spent so much time baking!
Sunday December 22 I joined my mom and Dan in going to the mall in Lafayette to shop for Maria's Christmas presents. Maria has a more sophisticated and high fashion taste than I do so I had a lot of fun helping find outfits for her! My favorite part though was seeing Jensen and his dad Nate in the mall! I had the biggest smile that lasted so long after seeing them. Jensen was really shy but still as cute and sweet as ever! I wish I was still able to babysit for him!
Then we drove back to Camp T to pick up Maria and her friend. I was really glad that this worked out because the original plan that they had to get a ride back to our house fell through. I was also super excited because it meant I got to see Sarah Wright again, which I was expecting since I thought Maria was getting a ride home. Seeing two people that I didn't expect to see, that have brought me so much joy, in the very same day was so fun!
I stopped by Josue's house to say hello and bring him orange chicken from Panda Express since we were going to get it Saturday when we were in West Lafayette on our way home from camp but I was having difficulty maneuvering the area and trying to find a parking spot. I was happy to be able to surprise him with it!
Then Maria and I joined Michael at my dad's. We hung out at his house a little while before convincing him that we could go to my other aunt's house for the night, after learning that our original plan to go to my Aunt Helen's no longer sounded appealing since her youngest had gotten sick. Maria and I were so excited to go to Iowa! We love our dad's side of the family and don't get to see them as often as we used to. We got to my Aunt Michelle's and hung out for a while before going to bed for the night. As we anticipated, it was so fun talking with her and my Aunt Elaine who was also there and playing with our cousin Max!
Monday December 23 we stayed at my Aunt Michelle's house all afternoon. Besides having fun playing with Max some more (including playing in his awesome cardboard house that my Uncle Tom put a door and windows in), we also made really cute melted snowmen ornaments and baked puppy chow that we snacked on all afternoon! So much fun.
We all left her house and met Aunt Helen and her boys at Happy Joe's for Seth's birthday! We ate pizza and watched the boys have so much fun playing arcade games. Maria and I were also super excited to see Aunt Helen, Seth, and Brody! I loved the huge hug that both Brody and my Aunt Helen greeted us with immediately as we walked in!
Afterwards we all headed to Aunt Helen's to play and have cake for Seth's birthday. Maria, my dad, Aunt Elaine, and I all spent the night at her house.
Tuesday December 24 we spent the morning at my Aunt Helen's hanging out an playing before the long car ride back to Indiana.
When we got to my dad's we got ready then went to midnight mass (well at 10 o'clock) at St. Bernard's. I love when Fr. Dennis has all of the kids circle around the steps of the altar with him during his homily and talks with him. This year he read a story that explained the symbolism of the candy cane- depending on which way it was held it could be a J for Jesus or a shepherd's cane. The red coloring could be Jesus's blood since he died for us, the white being the purity of our lives since he died for us and the forgiveness of our sins, then he asked what green could be and one little girl yelled, "green means go!!" So sweet.
Wednesday December 25 was Christmas!! Michael, Maria, and I all had spent the night at my dad's house. Christmas morning we gave my dad his presents and he made us bacon and eggs for breakfast. I was so excited for him to see the photo book that I put together from Maria and I of our vacation during the summer to Gulf Shores! Before heading to my mom's house my dad helped me finish and wrap Michael's present to give to him. I couldn't have been able to make the clock for his classroom without my dad's percision and guidance.
When we got to my mom's house we opened presents from each other and then opened the presents my mom and Dan got us. I had just as much fun watching everyone open the presents I got them and the ones I helped pick out for Maria as I did opening my own! I also had a lot of fun playing with Maggie and her new giraffe toy that is no longer in existence. I thought she finally had a toy she wasn't going to destroy and that would last.
After a little while Josue came over and joined us. He also came bearing gifts. Then of course we had to take the mandatory Christmas picture, but this year it was wearing the coats we got each other as gifts.
Josue and I went over to his house so I could wish his family a Merry Christmas also and give gifts to his sisters. We stayed at his house a while watching The Pirates of the Caribbean with his family and drinking sparkling grape juice. It was a lot of fun! I love his family and we never usually hang out with all of them at once that often. They are all so sweet and funny.
Josue and I came back to my house for a lasagna Christmas dinner and spent the rest of our evening together. I am so blessed by such a sweet, caring man in my life and the greatest family I could wish for.
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