As we're getting near Christmas, I find myself not quite feeling like it IS Christmas. I think its due to the lack of snow, for the first time ever. Not to say we dont have our share of precipitation. It rains. A lot. Which, I have to say, is better than the snow. I dont miss scraping off the car, or sliding around on the roads, or just being cold in general! It does make the season feel a little different, but we're just really enjoying being able to spend the holidays together for the first time.
We put up a little tree and have the stairs decorated(though the neighbor did all that) But it looks great and is very festive.
A lot of Italian towns have Christmas markets throughout December. We've yet to make it downtown to our own, because of the rain. Everytime we've planned to go downtown, the rain is heavy and not very condusive to spending the day outside. Oh well. Maybe this week we'll make it down there.
We are planning to go to a local vineyard for a Christmas Eve Day Brunch. We had a bunch of guys over for Thanksgiving, which was great, but a lot of work and not a lot of time to relax. So we decided to go to this brunch and then just spend Christmas Day with each other, relaxed and enjoying the day, not busy and overwhelmed with stuff to do. And then we'll be driving to Paris to spend New Years Eve with the French :) We're really excited to see some of the sights and bring in the new year at the Eiffel Tower.
Most exciting lately is the news that we both get to go to the states in January. John has to go to texas for some training, and we're taking that opportunity for me to spend some time at home in Michigan. It will be nice, even though its only been a couple months, to see familiar faces and spend time with the people that I miss most.
Thats about all the news for now. We're just so thankful that this holiday season we get to be together, we miss you all and hope you're having a wonderful time getting ready for to celebrate the birth of our Saviour. He's blessed us so very much and we wish His Blessings on you and yours as well.
-Love-
John and Gretchen
