To Experience Holy Moments [ADVENTure Fifteen]

We had quite the weekend full of holiday activities.

After a late night volunteering at the Epoch Arts Ugly Sweater Dance Party, we got up early for our Puppet Ministry Christmas show dress rehearsal. Then we ate a quick lunch and ventured into a gray, wet day to cut down a Christmas tree for my parents. We found the perfect tree...

Or not. 

This is the photo we sent to Gramma so she could see what we picked out for her. Somehow I don't think she believed us.

After getting the tree, we stopped by a friend's house to pick up a Christmas gift and drop off a Christmas gift from the heart to her in the process. (We picked up this: Heart of a Nomad and dropped off a Heart ). The rest of the day and much of the next are a flurry of activities - going out to eat, experiencing the Nutcracker ballet, going to worship, the Epoch Arts staff party, and out to dinner again before ending up back at my parents' house decorating their tree and exchanging gifts with my sister's family, who were visiting from Illinois. 

It was there, by the tree, surrounded by family, that it really felt like Christmas. There was joy and laughter in that room. People being and being accepted for who they are. Love. Peace. As children and adults set up nativity scenes, hung decades of family memories on the tree, and exchanged gifts on this "Kay Christmas" evening, I felt such deep gratitude for holy moments like these.