Some of my favorite things at Christmas are red poinsettias. I smile every time I walk up to my front porch and see them. I also love the view from my kitchen on a clear day. You an see the two tallest buildings in Shanghai in the distance.
On December 1st I hosted the birthday lunch for the Relief Society sisters in our branch with December birthdays. I love these ladies: Jen Price, Linsee Christensen and Shenyi Mattey.
That night we hosted the combined Young Men & Young Women Christmas party at our house. We had a white elephant gift exchange. Tessa was getting really upset watching because there were some pretty silly gifts, like one of the Deacons who put a picture of himself on a potato and another who wrapped up a broken cell phone. She was glad that the Activity Days Girls were going to give nice gifts at their party.
On December 4th, John and I woke up at 5:00am to watch Emma in a live broadcast of her BYU Christmas choir concert. How we wish we could have been there in person! Karen and Mike Wilkinson had gone to the performance the night before. Emma was grateful for their support. (Can you see Emma in the middle?)
I was grateful when Mia’s birthday was over and I wouldn’t have to celebrate our kids birthdays again until next summer. Then I got an email from Tessa’s teacher saying she likes to celebrate the students with summer birthdays at their half birthday. So I brought in cupcakes so Tessa could celebrate with her classmates!
Mia enjoyed her preschool class Christmas party. She was thrilled to sit on Santa’s lap. When John saw this picture he said, “I always figured Santa was Chinese…since most presents are made in China!” At the party they put on a play for the parents where they told about Christmas traditions all over the world.
Our branch put on our second annual “One Night in Bethlehem.” We had over 250 nonmembers come through our live nativity. I was a tour guide again. John and James were shepherds. Eliza sang in the Inn. Tessa and Mia were angels. Tessa had a speaking part that she memorized.
One year ago, December 13th, we went to the Shanghai Healing Home to meet Min ZanMei. We were surprised they just let us take her home. We didn’t have a bed for her. We didn’t know she was in diapers. We had no clothes or shoes her size. Heck, we didn’t even know she had Cerebral Palsy! But it felt right so we moved ahead…. Honestly, this has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m so grateful for John and our selfless kids that held me together and made adding Mia to our family possible.
