Some of the big trees on the land were pruned Friday. Some other trees were dropped. Dad has been steadily working on felling, cutting, and splitting. He's helping clear an area for us, plus he's providing wood to heat his house.

The girls (and Zeke) were constantly applying clear lip gloss during their 5-day visit. Grandma had given each their own gloss to help with chapped lips, and they pulled the tubes out of their pocket every hour and applied the flavored gooey stuff. On Christmas Eve, during our white elephant exchange, Justin received some lipstick and he quietly handed it off to Claire, saying, "Hey, do you want this?". A few minutes later Claire and Lydia nonchalantly walk into the room. There was no way to go unnoticed with their ruby red lips!

Most of the kids came inside with rosy cheeks and cold hands. They didn't mind letting me cradle their faces or enclose their fingers in mine. Usually they were smiling, catching their breath, and reporting on what happened outside.

The day after Christmas brought a short visit from Luke. His girlfriend Cheyanne came along and we had some nice opportunities to visit. Cheyanne hopes to graduate this semester with a nursing degree.

I feel so privileged to spend time with my boys. There's a time in everyone's life where they want to distance themselves from their parents and stay far away. I totally understand that. Our boys had those stages. Now, though, I am warmly blessed that our kids actually choose to talk and spend time with us. Just expressing my thankfulness...