Christmas Wonder

Being more than 1,000 miles away from home in the artificial Paradise that is Little England, wait Little India, no wait, I mean Orlando, Florida, Christmas takes on a little different feel. The stunningly patient and mighty fine SML has labored to insure Christmas would still feel like Christmas while we are here. For example:

The Christmas Tree? Right on the wall. Paper discs taped to the wall with a paper star on top.

Tree lights? No need lights and bows are hung along the bar.

Traditions? The Christmas bells made it down here so we could FaceTime with dear friends and keep up the silliness of ringing the bells across the country.

The food? Brisket was smoked. Buttermilk pancakes were made and Mexican Christmas dinner is cooking now. The only fail? Tamales. For the first time in, well, forever, tamales are not on the menu. Apparently that's too 'ethnic' here in the Mouse-controlled hermetically sealed environment that is Orlando. But I did manage to find a Colombian bakery and we've got empanadas de carne on tap. The pan dulce con guava y queso got wolfed down before dinner.

It has been an amazing Christmas Day for us. We are surrounded by our three children an awesome son-in-law, and this one:

I love this picture. We took it this morning as we watched him take in all that is his first Christmas. The wrapping paper was more intriguing than the gifts themselves but no matter, the wonder in his eyes made our day. It was such fun to see him take it all in. Our Christmas celebrations are going to take on a different feel now that there is a grandchild! There is wonder in this day and we are blessed to see it through the eyes of a child once again.

Merry Christmas all!