The Twelve Days of Christmas

For nearly 300 years it was illegal to be a practicing Catholic in England. Catholic parents wanted to teach their children about God and celebrate their beliefs, and so the story goes that they became creative. Some say they developed the "Christmas Code" that became the "12 days of Christmas". I find it interesting that our city chose this as their theme for this year's light tour. We've not had some of the situations we hear about on the news. The radio station we listened to at the city sponosred Light Tour constantly encouraged us to remember the "meaning of the season" and our county courthouse has a big nativity on the front lawn. Below I break the code and then show pictures from the light tour...in no particular order.

Breaking the Code:
My True Love = God who gives all the gifts listed in the song

A partridge in a pear tree = Jesus, who gave His life on a tree

Two turtle doves = Old and New Testaments

Three french hens = Faith, Hope and Love

Four calling birds = Mathew, Mark, Luke, John - the gospels

Five golden rings = Pentateuch - 1st 5 books in the Bible

Six geese a laying = six days of creation

Seven swans a swimming = Seven gifts of the spirit (Rm. 12:6-8)

Eight Maids a Milking = eight beatitudes (Matt 5:3-10)

Nine ladies dancing = nine fruits of the spirit (Gal. 5:22 - 23)

Ten lords a leaping = ten commandments

Eleven pipers piping = eleven faithful disciples

Twelve drummers drumming = 12 points of the apostle's creed

*based on info from "The ADVENTure of Christmas" by Lisa Whelchel.

Light Tour:

OUR LIGHTS

Looking down the block

Our house - brought to you by Josiah, Jamin & Jared

Second Day of Vacation - 22 December

Mike had to work.

Arielle and I spent some time formatting her Christmas writing assignment.

The morning found a site that I never imagined I’d see in my back yard.


After lunch the kids, Grandma and I headed for Tinseltown. The kids voted to see “Yours, Mine and Ours”. There were parts to this movie that I loved and parts that I thought were lame. All in all, we did enjoy it. Back at home Grandpa rested.

The afternoon provided time for the girls to wrap presents and for me to take Mom to the local stores to buy a few last minute items.
Mike got home in time for us to have a late dinner and head for the Concho River. Our little town puts on an amazing light tour on the banks of the river. The lights are reflected in the water and the radio station plays greetings and well loved Christmas carols. Much of the light displays are built around “The 12 Days of Christmas”. I’ll upload more pictures of that tomorrow . . . love having the camera back.


The night ended with us discovering that our very own neighborhood is really one of the most lit up in town…and then reading the night’s reading from *Bartholomew’s Passage*.

First Day of Vacation - 21 December

The day began with an early trip to the airport to pick up Grandma, Grandpa, Breanne and Krista. See “Everyone’s Home” below.

Yesterday was Exodus for the students on base. This is the day that the busses arrive, load up students, and roll out to take them to stations across town for their Christmas break. We have a total of 4,000 students on base. The students aren’t allowed to leave base until 22 December so the busses left at 12:01 a.m. Mike stayed on base for that.
The rest of us spent the afternoon unpacking, settling in, getting haircuts and shopping for groceries.

Arielle surprised us by asking for a haircut when Bre and Krista were getting theirs cut. We think she looks darling…she’s a little unsure about the “primping factor” of her new do.








In the evening we enjoyed reading Bartholomew’s Passage, playing games and visiting.

Everyone is home!

After an extensive countdown that had me counting hours, we left this a.m. to pick the girls up at the airport. Yes, they met their grandparents in the airport in Dallas, the surprise worked!

When we arrived at the airport Zander said, “I think Krista is in that plane” with each plane that landed. Josiah and Jamin cracked us up with hand lettered signs they had made. This was funny to us as Bre is the one who always made the “welcome home” and “birthday” signs…these were two sheets of white computer paper with Breanne on one and Krista on the other. LOL

When the plane landed, of course, we were all straining to see them climb down. Yes, this IS a small airport and you climb out of the plane and walk across the tarmac to the building. We couldn’t quite decipher them until we noted two girls running and passing others on the way to the building…then we saw my parents chasing after them. What a hoot!

We went to IHOP for breakfast after leaving the airport. Bre quickly took over the care of Stacia. Arielle clung to her elbow. Krista had both Nolan and Zander on her lap. The “big boys” all moved down to talk to the girls….fun to see them glad to be together.


Everyone is tired but home and safe. Mom and Dad’s bags did not arrive but hopefully will by tomorrow. The girls have hair appointments for this afternoon. It’s a great feeling to have all the kids back at home. Yippee!

Krista beat Bre (behind) by a foot being greated by Nolan and Zander


Mom & Dad after their sprint after the girls

Back to normal

Our Camera is BACK!!!

And Mike hasn't quit taking pictures...here are a few that show Stacia at 4 months....

THE GIRLS ARE COMING HOME!!!

The energy around our home is astonishing!!!

Tomorrow a.m. “the girls” Breanne and Krista, arrive home. I knew I was excited. What joy to see how the children are anticipating being together. This is what a mom dreams of. The younger ones are BoUnCiNg off the walls!

Bre called this .a.m. while I was in the shower to tell us that they are flying out tonight. They have a test and then will head to the airport.

We called my folks last night and all looks good for them to be flying out from OR tonight as well.

The big surprise they don’t know of is that I’ve booked the tickets so that they will all meet up in Dallas and fly on the same commuter for the last leg of the journey. Those planes are small but not wanting to leave anything to chance, I booked seats next to each other for them. We are praying here that they all make their connections and arrive in Dallas at the same time.

Tomorrow in the a.m. Stacia will meet her grandmother and grandfather Townsend for the first time. The girls are excited to see her as she was only a month old when they left. She does many new things now…and is even CHUBBY.

I was explaining to Arielle, Nolan and Zander that they are all flying tonight but that we will pick them up in the morning. I told them that it will be early and they will either be here at the house when they get up or I could wake them up and they could go with us to the airport to pick everyone up. Zander grabbed my face and said, “Mom you wake Nolan and me, Alex, up!”

We anticipate the best part of this Christmas being that we will witness the growth and changes in the girls. I think they will be amazed at how well we’ve managed to get on without them…. Having grandma and grandpa here is the icing on our cake!

Of course, I’m already praying that the visit is as good as I’ve hoped. That we find lots of time to communicate in the midst of a busy Chaplain’s home at Christmas. I’m determined that the shadow of saying farewell doesn’t color the excitement of being together. We’ve always said each new phase of parenting was our “favorite” but Mike and I are not much enjoying having chickadees leave the nest.

I told the little ones we need to clean and then the girls will be home. Zander just came in and said, “Welp!, it’s all cleaned up!” Twenty-one and a half hours until the family is all under one roof.