Merry Christmas!

Today has been an absolutely fabulous Christmas! We went down to the Lake in Dudley with my dad's side of the family. It was a small crowd since Laney was sick and stayed home, Beth and Ryan were in Augusta with Ryan's family, and one of my cousins and her husband had to work. My dad and I left early (6:45!) to go down and finish sprucing things up. On the way to pick up my granddaddy, we locked the house keys, car keys, and our phones in the house. Thankfully, it hadn't started raining yet so we didn't get soaked walking over to the neighbor's home on the other side of the lake. Fortunately, they were home and let us borrow their car to go pick up granddaddy.

The whole family minus the grandparents took a walk after lunch. It started raining halfway through but my dad came in the car and rescued us! Later, I got to practice my skills with my dad's pellet gun, but only managed to hit the target once. Needless to say, I don't see any hunting in my future! It always seems to calm and peaceful out there, and my parents and aunt and uncle have done a great job updating things lately. Lord willing I'm looking forward to spending some weekends there in the new year!

Beth and Ryan came up and were in Atlanta when the rest of us got home, and it has been wonderful to have all of us and my grandmother here tonight! One of my favorite parts of the day was driving to and from Dudley with my dad; we always have great discussions when we drive together, and that time is just so special to me!

I have been blessed with a wonderful immediate and extended family, and am so thankful for them! Lord willing, we will have many more Christmases together!

"Oh sing a song of Bethlehem, of shepherds watching there, and of the news that came to them from angels in the air. The light that shone on Bethlehem fills all the world today; of Jesus' birth and peace on earth the angels sing alway".  ~ Louis F. Benton