Another Christmas Comes and Goes...

We had a wonderful Christmas with my family right here in Nashville! Everyone -- my dad, Ning, Mollie, Andi and my grandma -- flew in from all around the country. It was a gift to be together, and an even greater gift that they all traveled to us! We stayed in a rented house only 40 minutes from where we live (interesting sidenote: it's owned by a Pro Bass Fisherman named Rusty Rust, who has his own Saturday morning fishing program).

We celebrated Christmas Eve at our house in Franklin. Santa and his reindeer came while we were at the candlelight service at church. Madeline was so excited to leave out cookies and carrots, and tore at her gifts with squeals and delight. Charlie could tell it was a special night and enjoyed the festivities too!

Back at the other house, we took walks, read gossip magazines, had a fabulous dance party, soaked in the hot tub, played spirited card games (lots of trash talk, especially from my grandma!), got pedicures, and talked and talked and talked and talked... Of course, we all had on our matching pajamas embroidered with our names! Ning does an amazing job quietly orchestrating every small detail so the rest of us just relax and enjoy. It was so fun watching my family play with the kids. My sisters spun them and knocked down giant block towers, my dad took Madeline down to the lake to chase geese and throw rocks ("bonk fish on the head," which she thought was hilarious!), and Ning played make-believe princess (she conned Madeline into washing her hair by making a bubble hat -- genius!). Charlie charmed everyone with his gummy smiles, and made us laugh by bouncing in earnest during our dance party! It was so special to have my grandma with us -- she added so much to our Christmas. My sisters' and my gift to her was to tell her, in words we wrote before hand, how she and my grandpa have influenced our marriages, relationships and childhoods. We all had tear stained cheeks!

We received one more surprise Christmas gift before the week was over. Mollie's flight was canceled, so we got to have her with us for an extra day! We were thinking of Rob's family, as I know my sisters were thinking of their significant others as well.