Merry Christmas?

Yes, Merry Christmas. Today we celebrated the Russian Christmas. Our church follows the old Julian calendar, in which December 25 falls on January 7. I kept the kids home from school today and will again tomorrow. I was surprised that there were two other kids at my daughter's school who were celebrating it, too. It's a very busy, yet very fun day for us. Though we exchange our presents on December 25, my kids said they enjoy today even more.

We began the celebration by going to church last night. Only the older two came with me because it started at 7 and didn't end until close to midnight. Then we went to my mom's to eat a big breakfast of ham, sausage, potato salad, cabbage soup, and wine. The older two slept at my mom's since my younger cousin's were in town staying there, too.

This morning we headed back to my mom's. My sister and her family came. We went to church again for a short service at 5. I decided to bring my 3 year old, since I haven't been bringing her to church very much lately. I soon remembered why I don't! I kid you not, about TWO seconds after it started, she started to cry because she wanted to stand in the front with her cousin. I had to take her out to the foyer with my husband for the rest of the service. After church we headed back to my mom's for a big party with more people and tons of great food. The kids ran around like crazy kids, having so much fun. I stuffed myself like a pig. My older two are sleeping over there again since my cousins are still there tonight. The only downside was my 11 year old got sick. He didn't want to miss out on anything, but he's still staying at my mom's, lying on the couch with a fever.

Tomorrow my cousins will leave to go back home. The kids will be sad. We won't see them until Russian Easter when the festivities will begin again. Then our life will get back to normal. I will go jogging again. It was a very fun day.