Time Moves Forward- Christmas 2009

Christmas was very different at the Thompson household this year. To begin with, there wasn't the huge gathering of the extended family due to the fact my brother and his family were in Hawaii, sister Julie in Washington, Marti & Ron planning to travel South to be with their kids and grand kids and Mom planning to fly to Seattle ( she ended up not going). Jacob is still traveling so this is our 4th Christmas without him, my dad passed away in February so this was our first Christmas without him. However, we celebrated our first Christmas with our new Granddaughter Zoe, Barbie and Justin's new little one is due at any time and Aubrey at three years old was excited and filled with the wonder of Christmas so it was fun to see through her eyes the wonder of Christmas activities, decorations and music. Oh yes, and I also attended my first Christmas program as a grandparent and watched Aubrey stand up on stage and occasionally ring her bell and sing a line or two (wow! did that ever bring back memories.)


We got together with each of us bringing a pot of homemade soup ( split pea, French Onion, Potato-Sausage), salad and bread on Christmas Eve and my mom joined us in the festivities. So, with our bellies full of soup, a warm fire burning in the fireplace we enjoyed an afternoon with each other celebrating Christmas.

Memories of past Christmas' filled my head from when I was a child getting a Mary Poppins doll from Santa Claus to watching my own children's thrill as they saw what Santa had brought them on Christmas morning. It seems like just yesterday when Justin and Jacob got cowboy hats and toy guitars and now I am watching my own grandchildren, yes, I am watching my grandchildren open gifts and delight in the excitement of Christmas. It is hard to believe that time has passed so quickly. God has so richly blessed us and how sweet it is to watch Aubrey as she plays with the Nativity set and talks about the birth of Jesus and sing Away In The Manger .





We are looking forward to the new year and a new addition to the family and the return of Jacob who is finishing up the last miles of his 3 1/2 year bicycle ride down the Continental Divide. We expect Jacob to return to us late January or early February .
Hurry home Jacob, we are so excited to know that you will soon be home.