Raegan is 20 now (almost 21) and she says that a lot: "it's been a minute." It has been a minute. A very, very long minute. To be exact, it's been 14 years, 5 months, and 13 days since my last post.
I was reading back on my blog post last night from Christmas Eve 2005 and it brought back a flood of memories. I shared it with Raegan and she said, "I got so many flashbacks reading this. I loved those holidays at aunt mary and uncle Dave’s. I also love uncle bills honorary mention. I missed his beans this thanksgiving 🥺, hopefully he made them for everybody in heaven this year. For the record: deviled eggs are still my favorite eggs." Uncle Bill passed away this past September so this was the first Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays without him. He always made the most delicious baked beans! He'll be missed for many more reasons than that, but it's one of the things that always comes to mind when I think about him. Rest in Peace Uncle Bill.
We spent Thanksgiving this year at home, in Georgia. My sisters, Sarah and Megan, and their families joined Griffin and me at our house again. The first time we did that was Thanksgiving 2020. That was the Thanksgiving when everything caught on fire in the oven 🤦. Okay, not everything, but there were large flames that did not go out quickly. The food was still delicious and no one was injured. All's well that ends well, right?
Here are a few photos from Thanksgiving 2020:
Clockwise starting at the top is Griffin, then Elizabeth, Aidin, Levi, Daniel, and Raegan.
Clockwise starting at the top again is Brock, then Sarah, Megan, Reza, Raegan, and me (Christy).
From left to right is Reza, Megan, Sarah, Aidin, Brock, Elizabeth, Levi, Griffin, Christy, Raegan, and Daniel.
and Thanksgiving 2022:
From left to right is Reza, Aidin, Sarah, Brock, Daniel (in the back), Megan, Christy, Griffin, and Elizabeth.
Reza, Megan, Christy, Sarah, and Brock
Daniel, Reza, and Brock (showing off how tall Daniel is 🤣)
Griffin, Elizabeth, Aidin, and Daniel (Daniel making himself appear shorter here to 'fit in' 😅)
Sisters: Christy, Sarah, and Megan
Reza, Megan, Christy, Sarah, and Brock
Levi and Raegan (the newest adults in our family) weren't able to join us this year. Raegan spent Thanksgiving in Ohio with her fiancé, Jarrett, and his family, and Levi stayed back home in Tennessee because he was scheduled to work Black Friday at Walmart.
For Christmas this year, Griffin and I (and Charlie too, of course) went down to Florida to spend the holidays with Megan and her family at their house in Orlando. Actually, we stayed in Georgia for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and then drove down on December 26th and stayed till January 1st. It was great spending that time with Megan, Reza, and the boys!!
Another highlight of the trip was Raegan flying down to Florida from Indiana to join us for a few days from December 27th through the 31st. She technically arrived on December 28th due to flight delays (I think it was 2:10 AM when we pulled back into Megan's driveway from the airport), but it was worth it just to have her there. I would drive to the airport to pick her up anytime, day or night. I just love being with her! She flew back in the morning of December 31st so she could ring in the new year at home in Indiana with Jarrett. 💕
Griffin asked for safety patrol gear for Christmas. I got him a set of walkie-talkies and two safety patrol vests. He said he wants to help with parking lot duty at church for special events and needed extra equipment so he can recruit a friend at church to join him.
He did not ask for one, but I got him this chess set for Christmas. I have seen him play chess online and with his cousins and friends so I thought it would be good to have a set at home that he and I can play with (he has to teach me though 'cause I'm not any good 😅).
Christmas at Cornerstone 2022
Christmas dinner at Megan & Reza's house. From left to right is Christy, Raegan, Aidin, Griffin, Daniel, Maria (Megan's friend), Megan, and Reza.
Raegan and I took 2-year-old Charlie Daniels (aka Charlie, Charles, Chuck, Char-Char) to the dog park in Orlando. Beautiful weather!
Megan and Raegan took the canoe out at sunset on December 30th, the night before Raegan flew back to Indiana.
Megan and I are both in d-groups this year. Although we aren't in the same group, we are studying the same books. We gave all of the 2023 books as Christmas presents to each other.
Megan made these Apostles' Creed bookmarks for all the ladies in her d-group. Even though I'm not in her group, she wanted me to have one too to use while I go through the study with my d-group.
Labels: Christmas, Family, Griffin, Raegan, Thanksgiving
