Christmas Traditions part 3- Parties!!

Each year, just like most folks, we have several parties that we are privileged to be included in.  The first party this year was our small group's 3rd annual caroling party. Our small group consists of 13 kids and 13 adults, quite a crew. When we get the young and old together, the noise level is deafening and chaos reigns. But, we all thoroughly enjoy it. All of the kids are adopted, so they share a bond.  This year, we set out to go caroling around Betsy's neighborhood. What a picture we must have presented. The kids would run up, ring the doorbell and just stand there. We even had one house take our picture. (I'd have included more pictures, but my battery died very shortly after we arrived.) It was quite comical. My two kids remembered that last year one house gave them candy canes. They anticipated that every house they went to this year would be the house and give them candy. So they would stand there and smile until we would have to come up and shoo they away.  Next year, we will have caroling lessons so that they are more prepared!  Anyway, we had a great time.

Our kids surely can wreck a room!

Guess we were too much for the tractor, it promptly lost all air in two tires!

Our kids see each other as family!  Here are Abbey and Corrie.

John and I went to a couple of adults only parties. The first one was our "young married" friends' party. Yeah, I know you raised an eyebrow at the term "young married" being applied to me and John!  We have been close friends with these three other couples since the days when we actually were all young marrieds. We have been doing life with these folks for many years. We see each other occasionally, but consistently we get together as couples at Christmastime. I love all of these folks. The conversation just flows and we laugh so much. We got there and before we knew it 4 hours had passed by!

The second adult party was also with a group of old friends. For the past 24 years,  every Friday morning at the extreme hour of 6 am, John and these guys,

The Friday Morning Group aka "The Guys"

meet together to study, pray and encourage each other. John loves these guys and rarely misses a meeting. Once a year the wives join them and we share a meal and conversation. I enjoy seeing the wives and listening to the guys tease each other. After dinner we played a game, "Mafia" that was led by one of the guy's college- age daughter.  This game pointed out an interesting fact about me and John.  I was the "mafia" one time and John picked me right out, goes to show that he knows me too well!

I'm very grateful to Daniel and Anna, who kept Abbey and Elijah so I could have a couple of adults only nights! It's easy to leave when you know your little ones are being well taken care of!