Merry Christmas! Happy Feast of the Holy Family! And Happy New Year's Eve! With just a few hours left in 2017 (and a few fireworks already going off outside before the big displays at midnight!), here are a few of the highlights from the past week or so:
Getting lots of SNOW the week before Christmas Day...sadly most of it melted within a week.
Isaac got his TWO BOTTOM TEETH for Christmas! And debuted his army crawl on Christmas Day!
Chopping down our Christmas Tree on December 23. It's the Austrian tradition not to put up your Christmas Tree until Christmas Eve and leave it up until Epiphany or Candlemas (February 2).
Christmas Baking and TRYING to build a Gingerbread Train. You might say (as we did) it resulted in a bit of a train-wreck.
Bringing the Bethlehem Light to Gaming! Every year a candle it lit in Bethelehem and the light is then dispersed to the surrounding countries - and then throughout each country - traditionally on horseback from town-to-town. We traveled to the nearby town of Gresten and brought the light back to our home and the Kartause. And... I drove us home! Yes, it's a Christmas miracle - after two-and-a-half years of living in Austria, Courtney has learned to drive a stick-shift!
Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve! Isaac is wearing the same ones
Francis wore two years ago.
Stockings stuffed!
Presents around the tree! Including a Barbie Camper Van for Ellie, a firetruck for Francis, some stuff for Isaac to chew on - and plenty of PJ Masks and Paw Patrols for us to trip on, I mean, for everyone to enjoy!
Christmas Morning! Birthday Cake for Baby Jesus!!
Mass at the Kartause with our wonderful neighbors and friends!
Isaac's First Christmas! I have no idea where I put the handsome little outfit
Francis wore two years ago, but this one was comfy and cute sent from NeNe!
It is hard keeping track of Francis' clothes...
Skiing in the nearby town of Lunz am See. While we don't have much snow in Gaming, just up the mountain a few minutes away, there is still plenty of snow! This is Ellie's second year skiing. We are trying to get her ready for ski school, which she'll attend for one week at the end of January with her kindergarten class.
New Years Eve Day (today) we headed back to that same hill just before the sunset - and had it all to ourselves for some sledding!
As the sun sets on this year, we're very grateful for all of our many blessings from God - most especially for our faith, family, and friends!
Wishing all of you a Happy New Year!
God bless, Courtney, Brian, Ellie, Francis & Isaac
Ps, We are going to Fatima at the end of the week, if you have any special prayer intentions you’d like us to bring, please send us a message.
