Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!!

(The Teen Home's Christmas Tree)

So in case the weather fools this crazy Minnesotan into thinking it's not Christmas (we went to a water park last week and are going out to the ocean tomorrow...maybe I'll get a tan - in December!...), our upcoming schedule will bring me back to reality!  Here's a snapshot of our Christmas fun in the coming weeks.  The kids are very excited, and the staff are gearing up lots of energy! :)

Dec. 4th - Christmas Morning Meeting; launch of Junel's box - for kids to give towards a needy family
Dec. 5th (tonight) - All CSC workers have a Christmas party, so the American staff is "on duty" with the kids
Dec. 12th - Outreach Christmas Party for former CSC kids who have returned to their families
Dec. 14th and 16th - Christmas Program rehearsal
Dec. 17th - Christmas Program
Dec. 18th - Staff/Teachers Christmas Party
Dec. 20th - Delivery of gifts to the family CSC has chosen to support this year at Christmastime.
Dec. 21st - Christmas Progressive Dinner - All the kids travel to each of the staff members' houses to eat a part of their meal and hear about the Christmas story.  Our house is doing the Magi!
Dec. 22nd - Sandy, Tammy, and I are having a Christmas party for our neighborhood kids.  We'll also be doing a couple fun outings with them toward the end of Dec.!
Dec. 24th - Kids receive their Christmas gifts!
Dec. 25th - Christmas dinner with all CSC kids and staff
Dec. 26th - CSC Staff Christmas
Dec. 31st - New Year's Eve with the kids
(There are also five birthday parties this month!)

WHEW!!!  I'll do my best to write updates about these fun events as they happen!  Should be lots of fun!  I'm excited to spend this special season with these precious children who used to have pretty much no celebration at Christmas before they came to CSC.  Now this is a favorite time of year for them, instead of a time of sadness and disappointment.  The best part is that we get to remember Jesus' birth, and that God sent Him to Earth because of his immeasurable love for us.  Definitely the best reason to celebrate at this wonderful time of year!

Hope your Christmas season is special too!