Christmas 2010

We spent Christmas Eve enjoying a traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinner at the Bothurs's home (you know Kristin from 11 On My Own). The meal was outstanding; mushroom soup, codfish, homemade potato and onion pierogies, poppyseed cake, deviled eggs, beets with horseradish, egg noodles, and shrimp cocktail. We played Christmas carols and enjoyed each other's company.  As if anything could top this, it would be Holy Mas which we attended at Midnight at St Mary's parish where Gabbi and I sang the Mass of the Shepherds, Ave Maria by Tomas de Vittoria, The Coventry Carol, Adeste Fideles, and Joy to the World.
It was a Christmas Eve I will always remember for the fellowship and sheer spiritual beauty. I will be incorporating ideas from Fr Tito's impressive homily into my post on tomorrow's Feast of the Holy Innocents.
Christmas day started a bit late, but the children eventually got us out of bed. I remember 13 year old Bella flinging herself on our bed yelling "ITS CHRISTMAS!!!" By tee time I lumbered downstairs (remember my back was still in spasm since Thanksgiving), the fire was blazing and I was given the most comfortable chair to enjoy the view of the children's joyful opening of gifts. First we placed Baby Jesus in the manger, and thanked Him for His birth, then the frenzy began. I'll let you enjoy the sights rather than describe them.
Dinner was made entirely by the teenagers since my back was getting worse; ham, green beans, squash, mashed potatoes, rolls, topped off by coconut custard pie.
We visited our friends the Dudas,  for caroling and a rich variety of snacks and dessert, and realized that we have finally established ourselves at home in Connecticut, where we feel part of the community in every respect. God has truly blessed us.

God bless us, every one!