'Tis the season

As always after Christmas is over I find myself wondering where the time went.  It seems impossible that we left the states nearly 10 months ago to return to our ship-home. We miss our family and friends in the States so much and it is even more pronounced during this holiday season.  Despite our homesickness, we have had a really great few weeks on the ship.  Christmas is really special here and we were really glad to be a part of it this year.  Here are some highlights:

 

Adalynn was able to dance in a ballet performance. It was so well organized and we are so thankful for the ladies who volunteered their time to teach our girls!

 



 

I invited the preschool and nursery girls (plus an older sister) over for Christmas cookie decorating on the first day of Christmas break. One of the pediatric nurses came to help. It was so much fun and they did a really great job of not making a total mess :)

Some of the finished products.

After the cookies were done Miss Lee sat and read stories to the girls.

 

Another fun thing. . .Adalynn and Cora made Snowmen to hand out to all the kids in the hospital on Christmas Eve. We told them we were bringing a bit of our home (snow) to them. We also made "Merry Christmas 2014" ornaments for the caregivers and adult patients. It was a really great time going down to the wards to hand them out.  The girls were really proud of their hard work.

 

We had so many activities and events on Christmas day and we really wanted to try to keep that day as relaxed as possible so we decided to have the kids open their gifts on Christmas eve.

Stockings!! Jack in his "girly" jammies. Hoping to get some more boy clothes that fit on the container coming soon (thanks to Carrie!).

 

The girls got a new (to them) art easel!

 

 

 

Christmas morning we went to the ship café in the morning for pastries and coffee. The girls were excited to get to pick out a special drink (strawberry steamer).  We then played for a bit before a beautiful brunch in our dining room! The galley and dining room staff do an amazing job of transforming the dining room and preparing some really delicious food! It is a highlight for many of us!

 

 

 

Since it's so warm here we got to play outside after brunch.

 

 

Christmas night we participated in "open cabins". 18 different single people, couples and families opened their cabins and people were able to walk around and see peoples homes and enjoy great food.  Adalynn led a game of pin the nose on the snowman in our cabin. We served homemade peppermint ice cream, vanilla bean caramels and peanut clusters.  It was really great to get to know lots of ship-mates that we didn't previously know. The girls had a blast and were great hostesses, showing everyone their room and their new easel.  Jack slept the entire time.

 

Mrs Marcia (Adalynn's fill-in preschool teacher) and her husband playing Adalynn's game.

 

Playing on the easel with our guests.



 

What a great end to a wonderful day! Nothing will ever replace being with family on Christmas, but if we have to be away this is a fabulous place to celebrate our saviors birth. We feel so blessed and so thankful for this place.  Looking forward to the new year and all the Lord has in store.