Great Christmas!

We just returned from a great week in the Branson area with Judy's really big family. (They are about 63 in number with #64 on his/her way.) Here are 53 of them who came from all over the US (Washington State to Maryland). Every two years the effort is made to be together for a week. Most everyone is there, on occasion some cannot make it, or can only come for a few days. But here they are. (Click on a picture to enlarge it.)

Each time we all go into Silver Dollar City for a day to enjoy the Christmas shows and lights, along with parades and all kinds of food. This year we went in on Sunday afternoon. It is so much fun to "go your own way" and run into some family member(s) from time to time. I stayed with my mother, who was there with us this week. She drove a motorized vehicle and I walked along beside. Every so often, you could hear my 3 granddaughters screaming across the crowd, "Papa! Papa! We missed you." At the live Nativity play, I saw Olivia coming in and enjoyed the "Papa! Papa!" routine. I picked her up and we hugged and kissed. Then I asked if she would like to be carried to her seat. "Uh-huh!" she said. "It's hard to walk with these many clothes on!" (I'll be showing more pictures of my little darlings in the days to come.)

Here are Dad and Mom with their 7 daughters (Judy is on your top right in the blue). They are (front row, left to right) Beth - #4, Carol - #2, Dad and Pat/Mom, Sue #1. Then (top row, left to right) Terrie - #5, Sara - #7, Pam - #6, and Judy - #3. Whew! From oldest to youngest is 29 years. And from these 9 people, you get 64.

We had our own church service on Sunday morning. We have more than enough ministers (3 spoke). I spoke on the Birth of Christ, Lance (husband of Pam) spoke on the Life of Christ, and Aaron (son of Carol) spoke on the Death of Christ. We had our own minister-of-music (Ryan, husband of Sara), musicians (Kevin and Michael -guitarists), children's choir, congregational singing, and special music (the 7 Vernon sisters pictured above singing "Sweet, Sweet Spirit").

On Monday, at our Christmas meal/gift exchange, we even had the nativity story acted out.