It's Christmas day and all through the house not a creature is stirring, not even our mouse (well, rat actually but that doesn't rhyme w/ house and I can't think of anything that rhymes w/ apartment). We don't actually have a rat as a pet (we aren't that crazy!) but we've caught 5 since we moved into this apartment. That's a bit beside the point though. It seems like not that long ago that I was posting on our first Christmas Day in Tajikistan and during the heat of the summer it was hard to imagine we'd ever celebrate Christmas in the cold again. But here we are - the sun out but cold enough we don't leave home w/o our jackets on - another Christmas in Central Asia. Though I do miss Christmas music playing everywhere, everything decorated, strolling down the aisles of Target or Walgreens looking for stocking stuffers and, of course, the festy foofy lattes from Starbucks - there's a definite sweetness to our holiday season here. We certainly focus more on the reason why we are celebrating and we don't have endless Christmas parties to attend so our lives don't get as crazy busy at this time of year as they did in the states. That said, we're looking forward to when we do get to spend Christmas in the Pacific NW again (maybe 2012?) and will rejoice in going to every holiday gathering we can.
We had a really fun Christmas Eve with our friend, Gulzira, and her son Daler. They came over to our house (Hirulo, her husband was supposed to join us but had to work last minute) and we ate dinner together and then Rees told the Christmas story with Gulzira helping him find the words when he didn't know how to say something. Hannah and I had made a gingerbread nativity set the day before w/ Ute, Sarina and Nina and she and Daler acted out the story with the gingerbread people/animals. Then we gave everyone a candle, turned out the lights (not quite as novel when you're accustomed to the electricity going out) and sang Silent Night (we explained what the song says, of course). Then Rees, Daler and Hannah rough-housed for at least 45 minutes while Gulzira and I talked and cheered them on. Emmett, for some unknown reason, suddenly discovered his belly button and was enthralled with it. He kept pulling his shirt up and poking his belly button - all with wide-eyes and mouth open. Then he started walking around wanting to see everyone else's belly button. He was really bummed when we put him in his one-piece footie jammies and he could no longer access his belly button. You should have seen him this morning when I opened his jammies and took off his diaper and let him go around part naked - he had 2 interesting parts he could watch (I'll leave it at that). Gulzira made an interesting point when she told us how nice she thinks it is that our kids grow up knowing why we celebrate our holidays and how we freely talk about God in our home. She explained the during the Communist era, no one was allowed to talk about God and children were instructed by their parents that if anyone ever asks them if God exists, they should say no - even if they believe he does. She wondered if that influenced why more families don't freely talk about God with their children. I don't have any thoughts to add here, but it was an interesting point.
This morning we woke up, made coffee (chocolate milk for the kids) and lit candles and had the kids go find their stockings and open them. Of course, Emmett was more interested in what Hannah was doing then the fact that he had his own stocking. They were happily occupied w/ balloons, stickers and mandarins (and lollipops) while I made cinnamon rolls. Rees played Christmas carols on the guitar and the kids sang and danced. Then we let them open the gifts that we gave them (they each get one gift w/ another that's for both of them) and again they were pretty content for a while. Actually, they're still content - Emmett's asleep and Hannah's making necklaces with her new bead kit. We Skyped with our families, ate breakfast and then Rees went to play in his semi-final soccer game. We'll have minestrone soup tonight (always something easy that doesn't dirty too many bowls) and probably watch a Christmas movie with Hannah and hopefully turn in early. Nothing too eventful. We've let the kids stay in their jammies and we aren't running any errands or visiting anyone today - just hanging out together as a family. We'll probably try to Skype my sister, Jackie and Rees' brother, Ryan and his wife Dawn tonight (thank God for Skype - what a gift!). Rees and I have been reading a book called, "Preparing for Jesus" by Walter Wangrin Jr this advent season and it's been such a great way to reflect on the coming of Jesus and his coming again. I highly recommend it.
I just love Christmas carols. I've been rejoicing in the verse from Joy to the World where it says:
No more let sin and sorrows rule or thorns infest the ground,
He comes to make His blessing flow far as the curse is found.
In this world, where brokenness is everywhere - it's so great to think that He came to make His blessing flow and He will one day rid the world of it's sorrow and brokenness. That's what we're celebrating today. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and that His blessing flows into your home and family.
