Merry Christmas!

Once again we awakened to a quiet city, but this time it was in part because of the light covering of snow over the world around us.  I went from window to window exclaiming and taking pictures.  The sky was a pale gray, as was nearly everything in sight.  It is beautiful.

About mid-morning we began to hear childrens' laughter and shouting outside...we peered out the window and saw little ones excitedly sledding down our little hill on plastic grocery bags!  Our days are mostly quiet here, and the sound of little ones' laughter outside is like Spring.

SK set off on foot to obtain a few items for dinner.  He had to go farther than usual because most places are closed for Christmas, but there were a few who stayed open the entire day.  He came home with two large bags of groceries and frozen hands.  He hasn't started wearing his gloves yet!

The Thornes are out of town....they went up north to spend the holiday with a family he baptized 50 years ago....and while they are up there, they are delivering Christmas packages from the States to young missionaries.  For most of the young elders and sisters, packages are sent to the mission office, because they move around every couple of months.  It is a sure way for them to receive things from their families.

Sister Hamblin came over for dinner and spent the afternoon with us.  We have been doing so much feasting that I kept it simple....we just had chicken stuff (a creamed chicken on pasta), jello (she had some sent from America and we turned it into a very typical relief society jello salad), a brussels sprouts salad and an apple cake with whipped cream.  We enjoyed our time with her.  She - like us - finds it difficult to imagine that this time is passing so rapidly.

We opened our gifts and oohed and aahed over some fun calendars and really lovely books etc.  We had the sweet sweet blessing of talking to our Arizona families.  We heard Lauren play a Christmas song on the piano....beautiful!  While she was playing we could see the other kids nearby busy with their gifts. Anna and Ben showed us what they had gotten for Christmas, and Andrew showed us what he gave.    We saw Matthew and David in their Christmas pajamas and talked to them and Bethany before they opened their gifts....that is self-control!  We heard from the kids what has been happening lately.  We saw Aly helping Andersen to negotiate his way around on roller-blades and saw Kimball's Studio C shirt...and Brooke's beautiful brace-free smile.  We saw the Madsen Christmas tree, which was gorgeous.

We talked to Lia, Peter and Eliza and Rebekah yesterday a couple of times.  We feel profoundly blessed to be able to see and hear and talk to our family.

We feel profoundly blessed to have the Gospel in our lives and to be able to serve the Lord here in Denmark.  We are grateful for the atoning sacrifice of the Savior on our behalf and recognize that because of it, life is richer in meaning, improvement is possible and relationships are precious beyond expression.

Merry Christmas!