Light the World Giving Machine
Wednesday night Madalyn took the 5 little kids to the Charlotte airport to pick up Kylie, flying in from London. Then they went to the giving machine where you can buy gifts for people in need. It’s like a vending machine. You put in money, select the item you want to buy for someone, the item drops down, but you don’t take it. It’s a card that says what you bought and the charities will donate it to the family in need. Kylie bought a lamp, Madalyn and Tilly bought shoes for a child, the other kids bought chickens for families in Africa. There is a very sweet spirit at these machines, helping people as Christ would do if He were here.
- Makenna about to put her $20 in.
- Pointing to the 4 chickens she got.
- Talea donated $5 towards shoes.
Though it was after midnight, I had to get a picture of 9 of my kids home again! There was already a great spirit in our home as everyone was laughed, talked, told travel stories, and caught up while waiting for the bathroom. My favorite part of Christmas is the college kids coming home. Makes us feel complete. They make everything more fun. They make our house lighter and brighter.
Someone gave us this hammock so 5 kids ran out to try it out. Then they had a party on it for awhile with some chickens. People are so giving this time and have lighted our Christmas, doing nice things for us, buying us presents, and giving us household essentials too.
Saturday: Cookie Baking Day!
We made several different kinds of Christmas treats to take caroling. I loved hearing the girls talk about college, roommates, jobs, co-workers, etc as we baked. Then I loved talking about Christmas memories as we drove to the different houses to carol, squished in the van in the dark together. We had a great time caroling and visiting people, spreading holiday cheer, hoping to light the night for them.
Sam and Andy with the fudge Alexis made.
Alexis, Kylie, Kaitlyn, and Talea making peanut blossom cookies.
My college girls talking and catching up. Kylie was in London for study abroad and Alexis was a sophomore at BYU. Next semester they’ll be together with Madalyn too.
Blueberry Hill
Time to start working on Blueberry Hill already! There are still so many briars, thorns, and trees growing among the blueberry bushes despite working on the patch the past 2 winters. I have a goal to work 8 times from January to May and we’ll see how good it looks for summer. I do enjoy working and seeing my kids working hard, laughing, and singing. It’s always a fun service project for ourselves.
Then we came inside for a delicious egg sandwich dinner before heading off to go caroling. Love having 9 kids squished around the table again. It was a very productive and fulfilling day.