December 18

 Today delivered a double shot of holiday joy and cheer.

Act one was our time at church, which featured the children's Christmas program and then a holiday festival. While Abby mingled, Isaac and Brady worked in the game rooms, except for the few minutes that Adam grabbed them to take a pic in the "photo booth."

Act two was our Christmas get-together with Adam's parents and his brother's family, which we hosted for the second year running. I decided to be adventurous and made a lasagna from scratch (except for the noodles -- cranking out fresh dough was a little above my paygrade today), which fortunately turned out fine. Anyway, we all dined together and opened gifts and talked and laughed the late-afternoon and evening away. It, like the church service this morning, was a gift.

So although I'm a bit tired from my time in the kitchen tending my sauce, I'm thankful for today and for the time I had to spend with people close to us. Because time spent with and on others is a blessing.