Merry Christmas (And Pseudo-Christmas Eve)!

Today started off like a normal work day, and really felt very much like any Sunday at work except that I told everyone "Merry Christmas" instead of "Good Morning".  I went to the worship service, hung out with some middle schoolers, and led a bunch of kids in the weekly fellowship lunch/games time.  Then, I went back home, hung around for a couple hours, threw my suitcase in the car, and drove off to the airport.

You would think that flying on Christmas would feel really strange, but it felt just like any other trip to the airport.  Surprisingly, my flight was completely full.  But, since I was one of the very first people to board the plane, I got a seat in the front row, and had sooooooo much leg room.  It was fantastic.  The leg room bonus even made up for the fact that the woman next to me was treating the plane seat like a La-Z-Boy and therefore infringing upon my personal space.  And, after an hour and a half, I arrived to an all but deserted airport terminal in St. Louis and literally ran across the terminal to my family, the only ones waiting to pick anyone up.  There may have been some tears.

Once we arrived back home, everything shifted into "Christmas Eve" mode...that is, all our family Christmas Eve traditions occurred, even though it's technically a day late.  This includes eating a bunch of shrimp and wearing new Christmas pajamas (which my dad had bought my sister and I as a surprise), and generally hanging about appreciating one another's presence.  Then I wrapped all of the gifts I had shipped to the house, plopped them under the tree, and here I am.  All ready to start Christmas while everyone else's Christmas is ending.

So Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve!

Porch Kitty came to visit today...

I've spotted her sleeping on my patio chair a couple of times before, but this is the first time that she didn't run away as soon as I opened the blinds.  In fact, she stayed curled up on the chair asleep for a good half hour or so before she suddenly vanished.  Just call it a Christmas miracle :)

I spent the day lounging about as usual, until I went to work in the evening.  It was sort of bittersweet.  Obviously, I'd prefer to be with my family on Christmas Eve instead of eating a frozen dinner and watching A Christmas Story on TV, but at the same time I realized and appreciated that I was getting to be a part of something special by staying in Dallas for my internship.  Every other Christmas Eve of my life has been spent in a white suburban church...this year I spent it with about 200 Filipino people.  Between a little girl running up and excitedly telling me that this is her first Christmas in America, and singing a verse of Silent Night in Tagalog, I realized what a truly unique and wonderful situation I have found myself in.  I could have wound up in any number of white suburban churches in Dallas similar to my home congregation for my internship...but I ended up working closely with a people group that I had no prior experience with, but which I have come to love.  This time last year, I never would have pictured my Christmas Eve looking like this.  But if I can't be with my family, I'm glad to have been able to spend it like this.  

Merry Christmas, everyone!  (Or, Maligayang Pasko, I should say)

Christmas Eve photo
(carrying on the family tradition even
without the family)

Natanaw na, sa silangan
Ang talang patnubay
Ng gabing katahimikan
Nang ang Sanggol sa lupa'y isinilang
Ng Birheng matimtiman
Sa hamak na sabsaban.


O Liniwag, o tanglaw
Ng gabing kay inam
tulog na o, Sanggol na hirang
Hilig ng sa sutlang kandungan
Ng Birheng matimtiman
Ikaw ay aawitan.