I was talking to my sister-in-law about how much our Christmas gatherings have changed on that side of the family. When I first married into the family, Dirk and I would travel from house to house in order to get all our visits in. We would go to Dirk's grandma's house on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas day....ready for this? We would open our gifts to each other starting at 5am. Then we would go to Dirk's mom house in Colleyville, Dirk's dad's house in Burleson, my mom's house in Royse City, and my dad's house in Royse City. Sounds totally CRAZY I know. We both have parents who divorced. So for MANY years, we spent Christmas day driving 200 miles or more.
Well, so many things have changed. Dirk's mom passed away about 10 years ago. Dirk's grandmother passed away 3 years ago. Dirk's grandpa's is now in a nursing home. We will drive to Dirk's dad house on Christmas Day which is "only" an hour from our house. We don't have to show up early like before (9 or 10am). We're having a late lunch so we don't have to rush. Perfect! For the past several years, we celebrate with my mom and my two sisters on a totally different day. This year we celebrate with my mom on the 27th at our house. And for the first time, I have invited my dad to come to our house and celebrate with us at the same time with Mom. I got my mom's permission first. She's fine with it, but it will be a bit weird at first and that's if my dad even shows up. We'll see!
Anyhow back to yesterday's family Christmas gathering, we had a wondeful time. We ate Mexican food at our house, visited for a while, opened up gifts and then we all went to the nursing home to celebrate with Grandpa.
And though our Christmas gathering has scaled down from many family members to just a few, we feel so blessed that we are making new family traditions for us and our children.
I wanted to share a few pictures of yesterday. Look at the happiness on our kids' faces. God just keeps revealing to us all the time that we are truly a blessed family. Katie's husband was not able to join us this year. He works in retail and had to work.
This will probably be my last post until after Christmas.
So, in case I don't post....
I pray that all of you have a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy this time with family!
May God continue to bless all of you!
The girls with Aunt Katie (Dirk's sister)
Bryson, Jaelyn, and Carter
Dirk's Grandpa opening his gifts (with Jae's help).
MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!
46 comments:
So precious, Daphine! I love seeing your wonderful pictures and hearing about your Christmases past and Christmas present. So glad you had a lovely time and that you will have lovely times coming up! Wishing you and yours all the joy of this glorious season!
Hallelujah, Christ is born!
XO,
Sheila :-)
Merry Christmas, Daphine.
Merry Christmas!
I love the pictures. Hope everything goes great for you and your family!
It's such a small world. My Dad lives in Joshua, just outside of Burleson.
Have a wonderful Christmas!
Kristin
Daphine,
I always enjoy it when you post pictures on your blog. They are always the BEST pictures! I am glad that you all had fun with your SIL. Your nephews are cuties! The girls are beautiful as always.
Wow, your Christmas pasts were very busy. I miss our Christmas pasts. A lot has changed in my family and it's never been the same since. It's kind of sad. But we make the best out of what is handed to us. I just wish Bryan could be off more on the holidays. I am use to it though because my Mother has been a nurse for 21 years now. We had to get up at 6 am and open gifts before she worked her 12 hour shift at the hospital. I just wish sometimes we could be "normal". :o)
Hello Daphine
What a beautiful family! Such memorable photos as well.
Thanks for sharing! ~Melissa :)
What beautiful family pictures. Lots of Love spilling out all over the place!!
Hey girl! Were neighbors! I'm in Arlington. Just a hop, skip, and a jump. :)
Many rich blessings to you and yours as you celebrate the Birth!
Hi Daphine! I loved looking at your pictures! Everyone looks so happy, and your home is just beautiful! It looks so cozy, and Gucci looks comfy too! LOL
I know what you mean about traveling around. My parents have been divorced for 19 years, so that is two different "occasions." My dad & stepmom are going to L.A. for Christmas so it's almost a relief I don't have to worry about that! My inlaws now live in a different state so we hardly ever see them. It's nice not to have to juggle so much family!!
I'm glad you are able to start having your own traditions!! It's such a blessing!!!
Those are beautiful pictures! Looks like a wonderful time.
Wow, you guys definitely did a lot of traveling in the past on Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and all of your family! :)
Such sweet pictures my friend. May your family be blessed with a very merry Christmas, love you.
This is just such a sweet, sweet post Daphine. I love hearing how your Christmases have evolved and seeing pictures of the family, especially all the cousins together and the visit to Dirk's grandpa.
Your house looks beautiful--so warm and welcoming.
Have a very blessed Christmas my friend!
Great pictures and what fun times with family. What is your temp anyways. Some are in shorts and short sleeves and then others are in sweaters. I am so confused. We are at um 1 degree...so no question about our clothes. LOL
Merry Christmas!
What wonderful pictures...looks like everyone had a great time. My husband and I have never lived near any family so we decided long ago that we would remain home for the holidays and anyone who wanted to come was welcome.
great pictures! i love the last one with all the kids & grandpa. so cute!
i hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
What a beautiful family you have! I love to see pictures of everyone. Tell me again where you live, because Dirk is in shorts?! Wow!
It is 16 degrees here, with a windchill factor of -5 degrees. No shorts in this house...not right now, anyway! :o)
Our Christmas traditions have also changed throughout the years. Seasons in our lives...right?
Blessings to you, my friend, and Merry Christmas!
Beautiful pictures. I understand about the how Christmas changes over the years. I know I can change and don't mind. My kids, 20 and 23 love tradition. I always give them new pjs Christmas Eve. We open gifts only on Christmas Day. They look for all the old decorations.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
denise
Gorgeous photos... the happiness and love you all were feeling is so obvious! Enjoy your family and have a Merry Christmas!
You have a very lovely family and Its so kind that everyone still makes grandpa an important stop in the holiday celebrations. My gran was in a nursing home for awhile and we always went too. Hope Santa is good ta ya.
Wow, I can't imagine doing all of that travelling! My husband has family (Granny and Aunts) that lives almost 2hrs away, but we stay home for Christmas. It's almost a rule in our house.
Have a very merry Christmas!!!
Oh man, such a busy Christmas season for you, but at least things have calmed down for you. Looks like you guys are having so much fun.
Merry Christmas!
Hope you have a Merry Christmas, Daphine!
I love the pictures. I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas.
Tonya
LOL..for reals...it was the camera..not me. It's weird because I'll be holding on to it w/ the strap and then it will just slip right off of my hand! And I'm talking a far drop on cement floors. I'm surprised it never cracked. Good ole' Kodak, I guess. But now it's starting to act weird. Sometimes I can't delete the pictures, but it will eventually??? I've had this camera for a few years now, so maybe it's time to upgrade. Maybe next year when our income tax comes! I really want to invest in a good one. I admire so many pictures and everyone has awesome cameras!!
Daphine,
You are a precious sister and I wish you the Merriest Christmas!!
God bless you.
Hi Daphine
I enjoyed hearing about your Christmasses past and present. I loved seeing the pictures of your beautiful family and wonderful home. It looked and sounded like you had a very happy and enjoyable day.
Merry Christmas from England.
Lindsay
Hi! I have noticed on several occasions that we follow some of the same blogs. So, I thought I would hop over and say HI! :) I'm so glad I did. You have a BEAUTIFUL family. I hope your Christmas is blessed. Ang
Merry Christmas Daphine. You have a lovely family. I hope it is a Blessed time for you.
Greg
What great pictures, Daphine! It is exciting, yet a bit sad sometimes, to have to start new Christmas traditions. We've had a lot of changes in our family, as well. You just have to roll with the punches and take life as it comes.
I love that you go and spend time with Dirk's grandpa in the nursing home. Those can be such depressing places and most are in need of warm, smiling faces like those of you and your family. I'm certain your visit was the highlight of his day.
Have a wonderful time with all of your family, Daphine! I wish you the merriest Christmas ever! Love ya, girl!
Thanks for sharing your photos and Christmas memories with us...wishing you a wonderful week and blessed Christmas! Enjoy all the magical moments...
Merry Christmas, my blog friend!!
hi, daphine! i'm new to your blog and i like it. you have a beautiful family. happy christmas from the other side of the world! :)
ahhhh...so i stopped in after seeing your comment on he me and 3...who i love! anyway, ur family has so much love and it just bounces off the pics! your kiddos are beautiful...and well, i'm glad i stopped by! nice to meet you this season. merry christmas!
Wonderful Christmas photos. Your house looks so festive. Love the staircase.
I read through your blog. Sounds like you are doing a great job raising your daughters.
I agree about the bathroom thing. Those ladies are spreading germs.
Cute photos of the new puppy.
Merry Christmas to your family. May you have a great 2009.
Many blessing to you and your family, my friend. You are cetainly among the many blessing God has brought my way this year. I can't wait now for 2009! Merry Christmas!
Love you!
Jen
What a beautiful family, you are truly blessed. Have a wonderful Christmas Daphine!
What a great time! I LOVE family time. Thanks for sharing yours.
Beautiful family, girlie!
Merry Christmas Daphne! Hope you and your family have a lovely day.
You have such a beautiful family and a beautiful home. Here's to new family traditions! :)
Merry Christmas!
Your nephews are adorable! I LOVE all grandparents : ). I hope your Christmas is very happy and blessed! Merry Christmas, Daphine!
Dropping back by to tell you that it's been such a joy getting to know you, Daphine! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday together!
Merry Christmas!
XO,
Sheila
Awesome pics, Daphine!! (I really like the "action" shots of the kids!)
Looks like you guys had a lot of fun...and what a beautiful group of folks! Hope Santa is real good to you, my friend!!
Thanks for sharing your Christmas Traditions. We recently created a podcast on this subject, in the Generations podcast “Three generations of Christian women share their thoughts about different issues and aspects of life.” We have some traditional ones like the Christmas pj,’s that are opened on Christmas eve, and Jesus’ birthday cake, retelling of the Christmas story. But there are some unusual ones like, Misfit Christmas, and upside down Christmas tree, a pickle in your tree, and some wonderful traditions to share with the kids. We also included some recipes. Thanks so much for sharing yours if you want to listen to ours here is the link to the podcast. http://godswordcollectibles.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-podcast-inspirations0016-christmas.html
Blessings this Christmas and a wonderful New Year
Oh what great pictures! I am glad you have been able to scale back all of the traveling. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! May our precious Savior continue to bless you and your family in the new year to come! Take care my friend!
You know, I don't even know why I'm going to comment... It's not like you can actually read all 40-50 comments you receive on every blog! You are out of CONTROL in the blogging world! I love your pictures! They're so beautiful! I miss you! We haven't hung out in forEVER. Hope the remainder of your Christmas was just as great as the beginning. I would like to see a post with more about how Gucci played into this year's Christmas at your house!!! :)
43 comments! Holy Canoli! I came over to see how Gucci liked Christmas. Was he excited?
We are having dog issues. I think the people that found him have fallen in love with him and don't want to give him away anymore.
They told us they were coming over tonight for supper and they would bring the dog and then they didn't show up or call. I didn't tell Kaish he was getting a dog but I did say a special present was coming today and although he is not a rocket scientist : ) I think he figured it out.
We are all kind of sad. I will keep you posted!
What neat pictures! How special for Dirk's grandpa to have this time with those sweet kids!
Hi Daphine,
It looks like you and your family had a wonderful Christmas! Your family is so beautiful....great pictures!
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