Happy Thanksgiving- a little late.
We hope you had a great Thanksgiving. We celebrated here: turkey, pumpkin pie and all. There were 37 of us that gathered to thank the Lord for all the ways He blesses us. Even though Cole and Lydia still went to school in the morning (it's just another day in Mexico) and we didn't have any family around, it was a great time. It felt like family. We even watched football and a Christmas movie! We are very grateful to all the people here that have become our family while we're down here.
Amy Shoop does an amazing job of hostessing. Everything looked so pretty, almost like I was at my mom's house.
The three Amigos: Isaac, Andrew and Steve
Lydia helped eat the leftover raisins and grapes.
Even though Christmas decorations have been in the stores here since the end of September it is still hard to decorate until after Thanksgiving. We bought a little nativity scene and paper wreath to at least have something in the house that's Christmasy. It's pretty interesting, though, that Christians here view nativity scenes as idolatrous and make a point to not put them up in their homes because here Mary is the main focus of the scenes since it is when she birthed Jesus. She is esteemed over Jesus during this holiday. Quite the opposite in the states where we make sure to put a nativity scene up in our house as a reminder that this is what Christmas is all about, the birth of our Savior and not just a happy holiday time. Since we are in Mexico we put it away when any Mexicans are over so we don't confuse anyone and out of respect for the Christians here. The different cultural things we come across are very interesting. (I'm still excited about my $5 find of a nativity scene!)
It is very nice to miss the craziness of Christmas shopping that you feel in the states. We aren't bombarded with commercials (no tv) or go to the malls and I've already finished my Christmas shopping in the little market places here that are crazy all the time anyway. The only thing that is weird is to sit at starbucks with a chocolate caliente that has snowflakes on the cup and then walk out in my t-shirt. We were driving home the other night and it was rainy and yuck out and it seemed like it could be cold out. Steve said, it looks like winter in Ohio! Then we laughed that we were pining away for bad weather! Who'd a thunk.
3 comments:
It amazes me the differences in our cultures. Ohhh to not be able to watch toy commercials and then hear your kids say, "Mom, Mom, I want that!!" Heaven on Earth :)
I'm glad your Thanksgiving was wonderful. I'm going to "steal" your turkey picture...so cool.
I love seeing all the pictures. I feel so close to you guys. Blogs are awesome :)
in france, nativity scenes are rare, even as Marian-worship. It's quite bizarre.
i LOVE that turkey! ah! even before I read that you stole it from a magazine i was thinking, "i bet i could make that". Liz, you're awesome :)
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