how was your Christmas?

"How was your Christmas?" - gear up, because if you didn't hear it over the weekend, that's going to be the question you hear for the next week :)

Mine was actually wonderful. A really fun, slightly overwhelming, but still wonderful day. I went over to the west side of the state with Carson's family. We spent Christmas eve and Christmas morning with his dad's side whom I'd never met but greatly enjoyed meeting (and I think I remember all the names!). After that we went to his parent's house where we hung out (and I met more people!), had a big meal similar to a Thanksgiving meal and then opened gifts.

The day after Christmas, we slept in, went around the lake, and went to return a few Christmas things. Some of us girls got our nails done and then seven of us piled into a five-seater car to return back to the house. We played games after dinner and watched a movie. After church on Sunday, we made lunch, ate, then I watched a movie with the girl cousins. Last night we went back home to Spokane.

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A lot of people say that Christmas is about family. Ultimately, it is not. But family is a huge part of Christmas! Christmas all alone just couldn't be the same. You can thank God for what He has done, for coming to earth, meditate on those things, but the holiday celebratory part would be rather sad all by yourself. I love spending time with family at Christmas - it's one of the best things about it. It's why I was sad not to be in South Carolina!

But I discovered something this Christmas. It is that families are not just biological. They aren't just people you have known your entire life. I know this because I felt like I was with family this Christmas, like I was one of them. Yes, I will soon be be one of them by marriage, but they have already included me. I don't know of a better family to be included in.

Christmas in Washington was very different, but not a loss at all. I gained a new perspective on the people I'll now know for the rest of my life. I gained more of a relationship with those people. I gained understanding of what it means to be hospitable and to welcome others into your life. I gained a lot. This new family is such a blessing. I'm excited to be a part of their lives. I'm thankful for who they are and how they interact. I'm thankful that most of them are believers and are my sisters and brothers in Christ. I'm thankful for the fellowship.

So how was your Christmas? Mine was great.