Who Says?

Who says Christmas looks like snow, and fires, and holly, and hot chocolate, and gingerbread houses, and baking, and choirs, cookie exchange parties, and all the lovely looking projects on pinterest?

Is it any less Christmas-time if the temperature outside is 90 degrees with 79% humidity? Nope, just look at these faces!

Last night we spent the evening at Good Neighbor for their annual Christmas party and talent show.  It was awesome!  So much work was put into this event by both the staff and children for the past several weeks.  First was the talent show, emceed by the truly fearless duo of Fabiola and Michelove.  They have quite the gift of public speaking, I was impressed!  All the children were involved in this performance.  There were solos, recitations, skits, dances, group songs, and live nativity scene with a real live baby Jesus stand-in (Johny's nephew!).  It was precious.  Although I understood about 4% of all that was said in kreyol, I loved it.  Some of the children had members from their birth family there to visit.  After the show, everyone was served an amazing meal of Haitian beans and rice, fried plantains, pickliz (like a spicy slaw, Gary's favorite Haitian food!), and goat.  Mmmmm.  Goat.

The Krull kids LOVED the food.  Noah declared it his favorite meal ever (although he says that at least once a week, but it was still a big compliment).

Each child received a Christmas present, and several children cried when the evening was over because they loved it so much.

Christmas day was really hard for us as a family.  We missed the familiarity of our own Christmas traditions.  It just didn't "feel" like Christmas.  Plus, we had been without electricity for several days at that point and were battling trying to save the contents of our refrigerator, entertaining "bored" kids, and trying not to wallow in our own sadness.  It was just a rough day all around.

I'm so thankful for our time with the Good Neighbor kids last night.  It really helped remind me why we're here, and put things into perspective.  Christmas is for celebrating the greatest gift I have ever personally received.  Jesus was born not just for me, but for the entire world.  Thank you God for sending your Son!