We had a unique Christmas morning. Unique and one that I would rather forget. : ( We were all getting ready for breakfast with the Penner family when Ian came up to me and said his stomach was hurting. I told him to go lay down again so maybe he would feel better. He said he was fine and went downstairs. Well, he wasn't so fine. He was getting sick all over our kitchen floor. I am thankful that he chose to be sick on the hardwood floor instead of carpet. : ) That was the beginning of our Christmas excitement.
Here are just a few pictures of Christmas, Penner style:
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| Ian reading Luke 2 at The Penner Christmas. He was feeling better at this point. |
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| Izzy opening her......of course, pink laptop : ) |
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| Aiden in his new bathrobe, which he did not want to take off all week : ) |
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| Gotta enjoy a warm Minnesota Christmas Day with a little baseball : ) |
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| All the Penner Grandkids!! "Yay!" says Grant and Isabelle |
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| Could be the last Christmas picture with only 3 kids by the tree : ) |
We celebrated Christmas with the Penner side of the family pretty much all week long. Karen (Jason's sister), Aaron, Grant, and Wesley come from North Carolina. Mark (Jason's brother) comes from South Dakota and we spend time as a family. My favorite part of this family gathering is the "highlights of the year" portion. Let me explain: We go around the room or table and the adults in the family give their spiritual and personal highlight of the year. I enjoy hearing how each member of the family is being challenged, encouraged, and brought closer to our Lord throughout the year. This year my "highlight" has been recognizing how Jesus related to people regardless of their economic status, their physical appearance, or their "loveability". He developed relationships with all kinds of people and He did it in a way that was loving, respectful, sometimes witty, and yet always seemed to know what their need was and fulfill that need. If a person needed to change their ways and be held accountable, Jesus knew what to say and people listened to Him. This past year I seemed to be focusing on relationships and developing those deep, intimate, accountable type relationships. It was time to get real with some people. It was time to ask people to hold me accountable to my thoughts and actions. It was time for me to pray for and encourage other women in the body. It was time for me to step out of my comfort zone and befriend some of those "not so pretty" people according to our society's way of thinking and this has been a highlight of my year!
I write about this not because I am trying to puff myself up and look like I have it all together. I so do not! I still struggle in so many areas (ask any of my accountability friends). I write this because I want Lucy (and all our kids, for that matter) to look back at this and remember what our family is always striving after. We want to be 'real', loving, challenged, growing, and learning each and every year, each and every week, each and every day! This is the family we want our kids to grow up in and pray that they too desire this for their own lives.
Lucy was not far from our minds during the Penner Christmas celebration. I even opened a present for her from Grandpa and Grandma Penner. Of course, I took a picture:
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A perfect pink dress for the summer when she is home with us! : ) |
Ian gradually felt better as the day went on. Unfortunately, we passed whatever bug he had to the rest of the family. Gotta love family time....in sickness and in health. : )
Soli Deo Gloria!
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