Merry Christmas!

I hope you're all having a great Christmas break! I am. I am staying at Hayley's sister's place in Washington. Her whole family has been very, very nice. I won over all the kids right away, (he he) and was very touched that everyone gave me a hug as soon as I got here. All of Hayley's family has been very accepting of me and they really make me feel part of their family. The only one I had to try extra hard with was Hope. She actually cried when I got here, because she had even been avoiding pictures of "That Guy" the week Hayley was here before me. She's finally warmed up. Hasn't given me a kiss yet, but she'll do it before Monday, I promise you that!

This is the first Christmas I've spent away from my family besides the two I spent on my mission. I adapt pretty well to my surroundings, and I'm not homesick too often. On my mission, I was surprised at myself at how OK I was with being in Mexico. I missed family at Christmas, but it wasn't too bad. In college once, I even moved to a new apartment building once without telling my family. But what really made me miss my family for Christmas was this. My dad really describes the family traditions well, and it made me wish I was there to eat cheese soup in breadbowls, watch the kids open their Christmas PJs and the ensuing fashion show, reading the bible account of Jesus's birth, and the little pageant that the kids act out. I missed you guys!!!

But what I did love was being with Hayley for Christmas. I feel so great that I got to be included in the Gray Family traditions of reading "T'was the Night Before Christmas" and "The Polar Express" and Luke chapter 2. I feel so much a part of Hayley's family. They really have made a great Christmas for me! Hayley and I will probably be at all sorts of different locations through the years, but we'll be there together. And I can't wait for that.

So I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, too!