Recap: Part 3 Christmas

DECEMBER AND ALL THE FUN IT BRINGS

But first, a little sadness:

When you live with BYU students, you start to bond with them very quickly, and it was really hard to say goodbye.
There were a lot of pictures taken and a LOT of tears shed

It was also REALLY crazy trying to make sure that everyone had their luggage and that everything was ready to go

I don't think I really started to believe that they were going until the last one, Robin, left.

Those boys can find fun in any situation though, this pile of pillows and blankets accumulated when all the students put all of their bedding on the 5th floor so they could be cleaned for the next group of students.

But that day wasn't too bad though, because:

MY NANA AND COUSIN CAME!

I was so happy to see my family again, those four months felt like such a long time

You could tell that Sammy was also really happy to have his Nana back

It was great to know that we would all be there to celebrate Christmas together.

SPEAKING OF CHRISTMAS!

We had our advent candles, like we do every year

I will admit that it is not usually seen when there is a Hanukkah Menorah surrounded by a Nativity Scene...

I love Christmas <3

It was really fun to see some normal Christmas decorations in the Old City

We Also made Christmas Cookies!

But I may have gotten a little too literal with my gingerbread man, I thought he needed a nervous system...


So, when you are living in Jerusalem, where would the best place be if you were looking for a place to spend Christmas Eve?  Yeah, Bethlehem! 

It was a totally huge party when we got to manger square!

And we actually were able to get in line to see the traditional spot of where Jesus was born

This is the alter over the traditional spot where Jesus was born

Sam and I in front of a Nativity scene

Before we left Bethlehem, we got something to eat at a random restaurant we found, the food was really good.

And they had fun little gift bags which had a new fashion accessory for us ;)

Later, we went to shepherds field (I was a little cold)

We sang Christmas Carols at the field as we saw a single star appear over Bethlehem.

Sam insisted that we kept the Christmas Tradition that all of the kids sleep in one room and watch Christmas movies.


Christmas Morning:
Sam and Me excited at what we got for Christmas!

Yes, yes, I fell in love with Paris, and showed it openly ;)

My loot :)

Later that day, we had a Christmas Dinner with Rebecca and Joseph Call, two member of the branch that are students at a nearby college.

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