Ties that Bind...

One of the blessings of Christmas is an opportunity for family to be together. This isn't always possible, but when it does happen it is a great time to build those relationships. We were blessed this year to have all our kids, sons-in-laws, four out of five grandmonsters and my father join us for Christmas. He brought Tiny and I invited a friend from Church who had no family to be with on Christmas day.

My Christmas post this year is photos of things we did as a family that helped to bind us closer together.

First, the category of food, lots and lots of food and treats. The Tyler's provided a biscuit and gravy breakfast one morning and the Marx's provided chocolate eggnog pancakes with eggnog syrup Christmas morning. Claude smoked a brisket for Christmas dinner. The grandmonster made and decorated Christmas cookies for Santa and the family just to name a few of our culinary pleasures.

There were many fun cousin moments. Here are a few.

The Marx family elf, Harry George, also made an appearance. He came in his gingerbread house bed from La Grange. The first night in Sadieville he wrapped the doors in streamers. The second night he painted everyone, and I do mean everyone's, nose red.

 

Adults had lots of opportunity for family time as well.

Christmas morning was filled with opening presents.

In short, it was good to have our family together again. We truly missed having Katelyn with us but kept in touch digitally and had a nice Skype session on Christmas day. On Christmas morning, before the little ones came upstairs, we all gathered on the stairs for our Christmas photo of every one in our home for Christmas.

Not long after opening presents we received an eMail from Katelyn with this picture attached.

Our Katelyn alone on her stairs. Tore at my heartstrings. However, Katelyn is a trooper and I believe, when all was said and done, that she enjoyed her grownup Christmas pretty much on her own.

I finish this Christmas with a grateful heart for a warm home that will filled with loving family and a place for friends. We have had another opportunity to bind our family a little closer, even with all our differences. I am richly blessed.