Merry Christmas!

~ Christmas Poinsettia and Christmas Tree ~ Merry Christmas to all of our family, friends, and supporters! We have been able to do quite a few things to make our home feel like Christmas as we know it. We did most of our decorating earlier in December since we knew we could well be occupied with a baby as Christmas approached - which is exactly what has happened! We bought a fake tree (that was NOT easy for this boy from the Pacific Northwest where only real trees will do - and it's best if you cut them yourself on the tree farm). We strung popcorn and made round sugar cookies that are colorfully frosted to hang as ornaments. We have a tin-foil star on top and bought one string of white lights. We have some red candles and our advent calendar helps us keep track of the days. We even have a bunch of presents under the tree - thanks to packages and hand-carried items from recent mission teams. We've hung red and white decorations that remind me of my Scandinavian roots and even bought a few poinsettias for around the house. We're playing our favorite Christmas music although we aren't even dreaming of a white Christmas this year. With some apple juice, orange slices, cloves, and cinnamon on the stove it feels downright festive!

~ Our Christmas Tree ~  Today we will go to church for Christmas service and then celebrate a Christmas dinner with friends - 6 adults total and one newborn. We have a friend staying a few days with us who has been an amazing help - she's so generous and more than willing to lend a hand wherever she can. When we were in the hospital yesterday treating Josiah's jaundice, our friend dove into our cupboards and made the eggless eggnog and the corn casserole for today's dinner.  She's taken it upon herself to do anything and everything to help us out around the house as we (admittedly clumsily) adjust to being parents.  Christmas dinner will include chicken (traditional for Christmas here in Uganda), onions, carrots, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn casserole, Stovetop Stuffing (a special treat from a care package), rolls with honey butter, and dill pickles (not my family's recipe but as close as we can get). Dessert will be apple pie and ice cream. Sweets also include peppermint bark (a Christmas present that came in a care package), chocolate covered pretzels (also from a care package), and Chinese New Year's Candies (made entirely with items unavailable here: chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, chow mein noodles, and skinless roasted peanuts). It should be an affair to remember! Later tonight we'll open our Christmas presents - we were too exhausted after returning from the hospital yesterday.

Merry Christmas to all!  -Shauen