Christmas, 2022

I was very excited about Christmas this year, seeing as everyone was coming home.  Don't get me wrong--last year was fine, but there's a top-level of excitement when all eleven Kennedys are under one roof.  Plus, this year, Gordon was coming home as well.

I started shopping early this year, so between gifts already bought and gifts acquired in Germany and Sweden, I was very ready.  However, for the first time in literally ever we didn't get our tree on Thanksgiving.  We figured since we would be gone for ten days, we would save our dog sitter the nightmare of having to water two trees twice a day.  Then, Glo told us that Gordon had never cut down a Christmas tree (what?!?), so we decided to wait until he and Glo arrived to get our tree.

Hannah had flown home to Alabama and then driven home for Christmas so that she and Hootie could drive back with her haul from Christmas Day, so she got her a few days before everyone else.  I love having Hannah home--since she lived with us for a year and a half, it just feels like she belongs here now. And obviously our animal friends were happy to have her home too.

I made a lot of preparation for Gordon's arrival.  Glo suspects that he is very allergic to animals, so I had all the carpets shampooed, and his welcome basket included a large bottle of Allegra.  I also knew that there was going to be overlap between when he was here, and when the boys (and families) would arrive, so I needed another bed.  Hannah and I got a bed from Costco, and a screen from IKEA. We also decorated the entire house (minus the tree), and I was so delighted when Gordon walked in the house and said, "Your house looks so festive!"

The morning after Glo and Gordon flew in, we headed to Mike's Tree Farm.  Or it could be Paul's Tree Farm.  I can never remember (and yet Glo always can).  He was ONLY open Saturday, December 17 which for most people wouldn't work, but with our delayed schedule, was an answer to prayer!  However, one of our favorite local artists had hidden one of her works in Dexter, and we knew exactly where it was! 3Bird opened at 10:00, and we were there just minutes after, but turns out, someone had come into the store before it opened and swiped the art.  The owner of 3Bird was LIVID.  She wanted it to be a whole event, searching for it, like we had done, asking her questions, and then thanking her for it.  Nope.  Someone had come in like a ninja and just taken it.  Sad for her and sad for us.

We noticed that Dexter had their annual Christmas tree display up, so we walked across the street to see it.  There were some good trees this year, but the best was "Bridge Chiropractic", not only because they had bent the top of the tree to look like a broken back, but because Gordon's last name is Bridge.  Yeah, the universe is funny sometimes.

John noticed a tree laying on the ground, not decorated.  He asked around, and the woman in charge of the display was actually there and told him to take it.  A free tree.  Merry Christmas to John! ;-)

We headed out to what's-his-name's tree farm.  His father owned the farm, but the son isn't interested in keeping the farm running, so he's just selling what's left.  We had warned Gordon that it can get pretty dicey with the Kennedy family at tree-choosing-time, but shoot, it was easier than ever and nobody left angry.  It might have something to do with the fact that we discovered that Gordon is all about helping, and John was definitely on his best behavior because Gordon was so helpful.  I mean, fighting the three of us women and our complaining versus working with a guy who is willing to do anything? Yeah, John was in a good mental place ;-)

We found the tree quickly, and I wondered how it hadn't been snapped up in years before.  (And to be honest, after we got it home and decorated, we all agreed that it's one of the prettiest trees we've ever owned.)  Cutting it was easy.  Tying it to the truck was easy.  Yeah, there was some serious Christmas magic in play.

 

After this, we had to head to the Barneys' house.  We had agreed to play with them for their church Christmas program.  It had worked out really beautifully because Chelsea Ward was having two Christmas Sundays, so we could play with the Barneys a week before Christmas, and then play in ours on Christmas Day.  India was playing violin, and Gianna was playing cello, so I had arranged "What Child is This" with our two girls as well.  And then the girls were singing "Were You There On That Christmas Night?" with Sage.  Rehearsal went well!  And then it was back home for naps.  What did we do before the invention of Squishmallows, I ask you?

The next day, we were up early to drive out to Chelsea.  I had a bit of worry for John, because he still gets triggered when we get anywhere close to the town, and I worried for him seeing people in the ward who weren't exactly helpful when his life was falling apart, but the worry was for naught.  He seemed genuinely happy to see people there, and so many people came up to talk to us.  I loved Chelsea Ward--it was an answer to prayers after so many miserable years in State College ward--and I'll always feel grateful that the members of that ward restored my faith in the idea of a ward family.  Plus, I was happy to be there for the Barneys--I know they don't have a ton of friends there, but by association with us, I'm always hopeful that people will be kinder to them.  Plus, their children have musical talent so it's good to let them shine.

I love Love.  I love seeing Glo and Gordon together.  I love seeing Gordon there, supporting Glo and really appreciating how talented she is musically.  And I love bringing someone else into the Kennedy fold.  We have such a great family (although as I remind others, it's not perfect), and I love letting someone else feel the love and inclusivity we give.  I loved seeing Glo and Gordon holding hands, because I know physical touch is super important to Glo.

It was a great program.  Really great music all around, and the talks were good too.  I was so surprised to see my friend, Stephne Hilgendorf, speaking.  And others came up afterwards.  It was like a big hug from the ward.  And when we went to Sunday school, I was so proud of my family (and Gordon), making comments and having deep thoughts.  Sometimes I just can't believe these humans are mine.  

 

Afterwards, we went to the Barneys for dinner, and it was so good to reconnect with them.  Aside from my pathetically swollen face still recovering from surgery, this picture has some really beautiful people in it!

 

Meanwhile, some other cuties were getting ready for church as well <3

When we came home, Gordon didn't even get his suit coat off before he and John started making Gordon's chess set.  John wanted to give the experience to Gordon because he knows Gordon loves chess.

That night, we went to a DSO Christmas concert, but if I'm being truthful, I didn't enjoy it at all.  Cheesy music, too many people bringing too much food into the concert hall itself.  Just not my usual scene.

For the next few days, we just had fun, played games, ate out, ate in, and relaxed.  Gordon loves cooking or baking, so we made egg rolls, and he was all over wrapping them.  We brought out the game "24", thinking Gordon would just really like it.  He looked at a card and told us that he could write a program to solve the card (versus using his brain to do it), and sure enough, by the next morning, he had.  

 

We went and saw the Christmas lights at the Michigan Speedway too which he had also never done.  We got through almost every Christmas movie we had on our list.  It was just what I imagine Christmas to be--making memories with family.  Glo did a lot of sleeping....

...during which time we entertained her "man-friend".

When Ethan and Mark arrived, Gordon asked if we could take a picture of just the five of us.  It made my mama heart proud to know that he felt a bond with us that he wanted to document <3  I should never have let Hannah have my phone....

Once Ethan and Rebecca and the babies, and Mark and Allison arrived, our home was BURSTING!

  

First thing on our schedule? Running.  And Gordon wanted to run with Glo.  This from the boy who has never run before.  Yeah, he was struggling the rest of the day.

Second thing on our schedule? Go to the temple.

It's become an annual thing now, going to the temple to do sealings with Brother Pabst at the end of the year when everyone is in town.  He and I had arranged it, and I got special permission from the temple presidency, and Brother Winterton, one of the assistant recorders, scheduled it.  But before we partook of the Spirit, we partook of Vinsetta Garage ;-)

We left the babies with a babysitter (but brought Tater Tot) and got the back room where Mark and Allison had their post-temple-sealing lunch! It was so fun to have the room all to ourselves!

  

Then, onto the temple. We went with a STACK of family names, and for a good two hours, we sealed and sealed and sealed.   Ethan and Rebecca swapped places so that one of them was with Tate, and I just loved seeing photos of him with the temple chairs and rugs in the background.  Like I've said before, the temple frequently feels like my home <3

 

At this point, I bring up, yet again, how it takes a village to raise a child.  Back in November, when I played organ for the temple worker devotional, Glo came with me because John was on call.  We ran into Brother Pabst, and he double checked about the temple sealing.  I had mentioned that Glo's boyfriend would be in town and Glo wasn't sure if she wanted to bring him or not.  After all, it's a BIG DEAL to kneel across the altar from a boyfriend (excuse me, MANfriend).  I will never forget the moment in the gym of the Bloomfield Hills building when Brother Pabst looked at Glo and told her to not think that hard about it.  "Bring him," he said in his booming voice, "and either you'll know he's the one, or you'll know he's not." He said much more in that five minutes, and Glo really just opened up to him about her fears.  I was so thankful.  A couple of days later, she told me that she wanted to bring Gordon.

What a special night it was, all of us in the large sealing room in the Detroit temple.  Brother Pabst knows us all well now, and there is an element of love in how he sees us and treats us which reminds me yet again how Heavenly Father has compensated me for my lack of family.  I must admit though that I was really nervous for Glo, if Brother Pabst ended up calling up her and Gordon to do husband-to-wife sealings.  I almost wanted to lean over and whisper to him that he shouldn't do it because I didn't want her to feel any pressure, but I didn't.  He eventually called them up--actually he called up "Sister Bridge" and quickly corrected the error.  He even apologized.  (And he apologized again when I saw him in the temple office weeks later.)  But it was what it was, and we all left the temple so happy. (Mark and Allison, and Ethan and Rebecca left separately from us, so we missed a photo with all of us.)

We hurried home, because Mark had readied a DND two-shot for everyone.  But first, we discovered that Santa's elves had left us our pajamas, books and chocolate a day early!  We were all so excited to wear our fun new clothes on Christmas Eve Eve.  Then it was DND with Mark.  He and I had made a deal that he would do it IF I agreed to be part of it.  I read a Shel Silverstein poem....and checked out.  But look what Glo put together for everyone:

  She's become QUITE the charcuterie board master!

The next day was Christmas Eve, aka the day Gordon was leaving.  Did you know that it's crazy inexpensive to fly anywhere on Christmas Eve? Yeah, when we were looking at flights for him, it was cheapest to fly him one way to Detroit and then one way to St. George on Christmas Eve.  The kids played their second day of DND, we did a quick ornament exchange (to How the Grinch Stole Christmas), took some photos at Gordon's request, I took some of him and Glo, and he was off.

Why do I ever give the kids the camera?

Afterwards, Glo and the boys went running.  Cherry pooped out so they ended up carrying her most of the way.

That night, we had a most sacred experience reading the Christmas story and then reading from our Advent books.  I think all of us look forward to these nights every year, and there is a sacredness there that I've only felt in a few other times in my life.

Christmas morning was a bit unusual because we needed to head to church to perform.  There had been a big to-do about us performing with a women who initially told me she didn't need us because "she was going a different direction with the program", but she had changed her mind.  So Glo, Hannah, Mark and I were finally able to perform our very well-used "O Come, O Come Emanuel/What Child is This" arrangement for horn and strings.  I'm not sure I'll ever find or create as beautiful an arrangement.

When we got home, Glo went to work again and made us a charcuterie board that we snacked on throughout the day.

There was hours and hours of unwrapping gifts.  I would like to say that we should cut back, but giving gifts is an expression of our love for each other so I only see the tradition growing as we add more people to our family.  There were hilarious moments, tender moments, and sleepy moments.  And we played games well into the dark of night.

The next morning, we had to take our Christmas card pictures! What? you might say.  Christmas card pictures after Christmas? Yes.  There was not a single time in 2022 where all eleven of us were together, so it meant our pictures were taken when we were together...a day after Christmas.  Up until this point, we were being frozen and snowed out of any possibility (and the winds were pretty high), so no matter what, they had to be taken the day after Christmas because Mark and Allison were leaving.  In fact, they had to be to her parents' house by 8:30 a.m., so we were out of the house, dressed and ready by 7:30.  It was -4 degrees outside, so we took only ELEVEN photos total before Mark and Allison had to leave, and I prayed that one of them would work.  I told the family to come in either green or red, but obviously most everyone went the red route ;-)

You can't see it in the photo, but Ethan would cover Baby Tate under blankets when we weren't taking the actual picture, so he is holding the blankets behind Rebecca's back!

I snapped a few pics of Mark and Allison, and it made me so happy when Mark told me later how much he loved them.

And there's the usual shenanigans:

At this point, we were freezing so we hurried to First Watch for some pretty delicious breakfast. Little Tater is basically everyone's favorite, and for good reason!

The rest of the week was just spent playing games and hanging out.  One request Ethan had? To make the igloo cake (of Scouting yore).  It was one of the tastiest cakes I've ever tasted, probably because it wasn't from no box. ;-) I can easily see this fitting into the Kennedy Christmas traditions in the future, polar bears bowling and all!

It's been years where we've had a Christmas without calamity.  I was a bit worried that with Gordon coming, something might happen, but no.  No dog deaths.  No job losses.  No break-ups.  Just happiness and joy.