"For of such is the kingdom of heaven"

Eight-year-old Tori surprised Dan and me with a very special note she wrote for us of her own accord during her visit last week. It's such a heart-melter that I had to share it. After all, "if any thing is virtuous, or lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy" it should be passed along in order to make our lives, and maybe even the world, more beautiful.

Christmas Babies! and Christmas Fun

Greg, along with Tori, Juli, and Christian, arrived on Wednesday to celebrate Christmas with us. While Dan and Colin were still working on Thursday, the four of us betook ourselves to the movies to see Tangled. We gave it 5 stars. Then Greg and the munchkins spent a couple of hours at Planet Kid for some active fun after the previous day's looong drive from Denver. Santa surprised us all by coming a day early, on Friday! Hey, but we're all good sports, we just went with it, and enjoyed it to the max. It's been a regular fashion show ever since, what with the cool costumes Aunt Julie and cousin Liz made for the kids. We've got everything from a dinosaur, to a flamenco dancer, a fancy pettiskirted or kimono clad girl, and a fairy, to a super hero apt to show up for meals. Right now, Christian is doing gymnastics for Colin and Macey, while Grandpa, Greg, and the girls, and Jason and Brianna are playing board games in the next room. I'm telling you, these little ones rarely stop moving!

We had a yummy fiesta for dinner today, and I think the star was the appetizer, penguins in the snow, that I asked Brianna and Jason to make. Such cute little guys, and tasty too.

But the biggest surprised of all came from Neil and Penny! Their little twins, due in Feb., but expected to arrive in late January, were born today! I guess they just didn't want to miss Christmas this year. Their little son, McKay Lancaster was born at 4:51PM, weighing in at 4 lb 10 oz. And his sister, McKenna Tecla was born 8 minutes later, and weighed 4 lb. 9 oz. Prayers for a safe delivery were answered, and happy tears of gratitude shed. Dan and I now have 11 grandblessings to love.

It was wonderful to be able to talk to Shane, in faraway Queens New York this morning, too. This old year has been a very happy one, with much happiness expected to come ringing and winging in with the new. Many thanks to a kind Heavenly Father are in order, and to our loving and caring family and friends!