WHAT A GREAT CHRISTMAS WEEK!! Best present of all? Kaylee Mumford - born Saturday, 12-29-12 and our 12th grandchild. Ryan & Chelsea are the very ecstatic parents of this beautiful and alert baby girl. We can't wait to hold her (in 4 months!). We are so grateful that all is well. Can you believe all that hair! There is nothing quite like a new baby to feel of our Heavenly Father's miracles.

The week began on Christmas Eve. The tradition at Kevin & Dacia's is for the children to open the gifts from their siblings that morning. This year they did extra jobs and earned money for their gifts. They were as excited about the presents they gave as they were about the things they received. A special neighbor family joined us for a lovely Christmas dinner. The story of the nativity followed complete with costumed characters. Gary stayed home to tend 2 yr. old Hailey while Brenda and the rest of the family attended an early evening Catholic mass. A friend, whose family had attended Kaitlyn's baptism this year, invited the family to attend mass to watch her daughters sing in the choir. A discussion on the way home about what is similiar to our church and what was different was very heart-warming. Our grandchildren are learning the truths of the gospel.

Christmas morning! It was our first Christmas with Kevin & Dacia since 2001. Kevin's kids selected for us, on their own, two card games with the money they earned. We had fun playing those - Family Fluxx and Catan. A special gift was a cute and touching video of all our grandchildren answering questions about our mission. We had a Google+ call with all our kids/grandkids. Gary enjoyed helping Bryson build a marble contraption and a lego robot. It snowed on Wednesday so we stayed home and built gingerbread (graham cracker) "houses". These grandkids are experienced and creative - a bowling alley, a BYU basketball game, etc.

On Thursday we actually went bowling. Hailey loved it the most - giving high fives after sending her ball down the ramp. We made it back to Muncie in time to open the building and attend Sharing the Gospel/Mission Prep. Another of our students got his mission call this week - Harrison will be leaving for Brazil in May! Friday and Saturday were full of talk preparation, upcoming lesson preparation and lots of phone calls - having to do with a baby laboring to arrive. We were the Sacrament meeting speakers today in our Branch. We are now looking forward to a new year! Thanks to all who made this a special Christmas for us - advent gifts, 12-days of Christmas, cards, letters, and presents!