Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family. We have had a wonderful, wonderful time with our family and Dutch friends.

Yesterday on Christmas Eve Mom and I were crazy enough to venture to Wal Mart for a few last minute groceries. We finished readying Niki's home for visitors. Michael and I managed to get in a couple of long walks with the Jazzy dog, too.

In the late afternoon on Christmas Eve, our Dutch friends arrived. My parents, Martha and Rubin (my father is deceased) decided to host an exchange student in 1993. They were the American parents to a delightful girl, Maaike. Through the years even after Maike left Arkansas, she has stayed in close contact with my family, journeying to Arkansas frequently and even to Montana sometimes bringing her parents and sister and boyfriend. In April Maaike and Leon were married and my sister Ann, her husband Danny and my Mom made the trip to Holland for the wedding. This Christmas the entire family decided to come to Arkansas to celebrate Christmas with us. Maaike brought her parents Boy and Gerda, her husband Leon and his Mother, Annie; Maaike's sister Marika, her boyfriend Edward and her child Melisa.

Mealtimes are chaotic and fun with our enlarged household. Today for our Christmas Day celebration, we traveled to Niki and Eric's home where more chaos reined! Marika and Edward were staying there with Marika's daughter who is the same age as Niki and Eric's Elizabeth. Santa had paid a visit and the living room looked as if an explosion had occurred!! We had a delicious breakfast and opened what seemed like a mountain of presents. The Dutch friends brought lots of chocolates and cookies. Niki's present to all of us received the prize for the best ever. She put together an album of Mom's life that had us all in tears, it was so special. Thank you Niki, we love you so much.

We came home and relaxed a little--the Dutch folks took a drive--Maaike has lived here so she was the navigator. Mom's sisters stopped by to visit during the day, too, with their families.

Michael is a little under the weather and today we also found out that Nat had fallen off a ladder and was in the hospital in Big Timber. He broke his nose and is bruised and sore.

Remember I have said that here in Arkansas we visit and eat, then eat and visit--a lot of that went on today for sure. Everyone has gone off to their respective spots for the night as I write this and the house is quiet. We are so thankful for our wonderful family and for friends such as these Dutch people who travel great distances to spend this holiday with us. May God be with you in this season and the coming year.