Away in a Manger

Christmas Eve is always very special at the Richards home.

Mom makes a great dinner, and luckily Josh got to come for a little while before he had to go to work for the evening.

Dad always tries to help us remember the "true meaning of Christmas" by presenting a thought or creating a stable in the livingroom. This year we talked a lot about the new year and what it would bring to each person. He called it a "Gift from God". We really are blessed and although there are many trials that we deal with, this year is going to be just that, a gift.

So we had a nativity dramatization. Eric and Lindsay live in Portland and so since they weren't able to be here for Christmas, they were our audience via web cam. Abby, Sarah, Eric and Lindsay were all in attendance.

And it came to pass...Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem on the donkey, Small One, and Mary had her baby, Jesus.

Then the angel appeared to the shepherds and announced that the baby had been born and that they should go and tell everyone.

The wisemen came bearing gifts.

In the meantime, there were angels, wisemen, and shepherds all around the world that decided to come and see the baby. They all gathered together and sang beautiful carols celebrating His birth. What a wonderful event.