Sunday, December 25, 2022

Merry Christmas!

It was a very different kind of Christmas. It didn’t really feel like Christmas for most of the day and I don’t know if I love traveling at this time of year. I think I’d do it again, but maybe in a few years? We’ll see how going home feels maybe. 

Even though we prepped them that Santa wasn’t bringing gifts we weren’t sure how they’d react. Santa brought stockings and not much else and everyone was happy. They’ve been loving this trip and getting along really well. All the praise hands!
I grabbed a quick pic of our adult “stockings” because the kids had already torn into theirs. 

We had a situation with our heat not working starting last night. It wasn’t terribly cold, so we were fine, but Matt and I spent some time translating directions and warning notices and managed to figure it out. 

We left for church at 9:30, so our Christmas morning was short and sweet. 

These two bought for each other in the cousin gift exchange and they picked the same dumb plastic pig with chocolates. D also got a snow globe and max got a wind up music player. We decided to let them give whatever junky gift they wanted and they were so happy. 

I had been talking to Jess about our German trip and she reminded me that her family lives in Munich now, so we went to their ward today. We arrived at the same time and grabbed a pic to send Jess. 
We went to the international English speaking ward but they combined with the German ward for Christmas. We could sing English or German, but we chose German. Then one talk was in German and the other English, and the same handsome silver Fox translated both (move over, Uchtdorf). They also had a violinist play along with the organ for every song, even one of the special musical numbers. 

While we waited for Matt after sacrament we looked around and the first room we came to was the RS room. It’s like I knew. 

We met some other besucher’s after church. They were from California and had their 4 grown daughters with them. The foreign saints we’ve been to church with haven’t been the most friendly, which has been interesting. Really the only people we talked to both weeks were the other visitors. Good reminder to be more friendly at church! Other than that, church was really lovely and it was so nice to go on Christmas just like all the other church people do.

We walked around Munich and found the river surfers. That looks like so much fun and I wish I could do it! Matt says I could learn, but I’m skeptical. 

I love when bridges randomly become lock bridges. 

It was so beautiful today! Not a rain cloud in site and 54°! We would have loved snow, but 54° is a nice concession. 

This guy is becoming a real autobahn driver. We have ironed out a lot of the foreign learning to drive kinks and he is really loving it. We all are, but since he’s the driver he’s getting a special paragraph. 

Darlaina sent me this cute personalized digital card and I love it. Put my name on everything, I love it!

Cousins went to visit friends, so we were on our own from church on. We ate a very unconventional Christmas dinner of leftovers. Firstly, it’s Sunday. Second, very few places were open. Thirdly, the e bought a lot of food yesterday and we’re leaving this house Tuesday. Matt and Lanes had fish, Frankie and Adi had pizza and I had a salad. And stocking candy, duh. We FaceTimed family and then played games just the 5 of us. 

We sang some Christmas carols, read Luke 2, and watched The Nativity. I’ve watched that one a few times this season and it’s so beautifully done, it makes me cry every time. I am so ever thankful for my Savior. That He came to earth for me. That He loves me inspite of myself. That He is safety and peace even when all the world goes sideways. That He comforts me and brings me hope. That we will see our loved ones again because he conquered death. My heart is so full. 

Amy and crew came home around 9. The cousins missed each other while they were apart, which is all part of our plan. Keep them wanting more, and then they’ll be more kind/behave. We played Skull King before they went to bed and Matt squeaked out a win. Sandy won last night, so I really feel like I’m due. 

It was a weird Christmas for sure, but weird isn’t bad. Merry Christmas 2022!

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