Christmas Memories...

These Christmas holidays were a bit more nostalgic than most for extended family this year. Besides missing our loved ones, we in Uruguay missed our traditional gathering at “The Ranch” (my Dad and Pat’s place) in Totoral.

So we had to start some new traditions:

We grilled out in our own back yard!

And we had to keep some old traditions, too:

I got pictures of the flowers in season – in our back yard this time!

We celebrated Abu Dosila’s birthday a week early.

The “volcano” candle was more impressive than ever! J

We communicated with family far-away by prerecorded video clips or Google Hangouts or Skype.

And the cousins assembled the Christmas Tree Cookie! (Thank-you, Grandma, for once again baking and sending the star cookies and frostings! Thank-you, Uncle Will and Aunt Carol, for bringing them when you visited!)

The tree turned out a bit topsy-turvy!

We’re more thankful than ever for memories made this year – as well as those made in the past couple of years since our arrival in Uruguay.

Most of all, we’re thankful for opportunity to pause and be especially thankful for the coming of our Saviour:

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...” 

 (I Timothy 1:15)