Christmas in Oz

I woke up on Christmas morning to find an extra stocking and additional presents to what I had left out for the kids the night before... Looks like my host parents played sneaky Santa last night or really early this morning and had been planning way ahead of time to make sure Christmas day was special for me. And boy was it ever!!!

We waited for the kids to wake up. When they did we all wished each other a Merry Christmas and then started making breakfast. Jen and Daniel went out yesterday and purchased apple cinnamon pastries, pancake batter/mixture, and fruit. Christmas breakfast was very yummy and I left me stuffed. Once breakfast was finished and cleaned up I began Christmas morning (my kids' first, and possibly last, Christmas ever) with my host family. The kids loved the stockings because it was present after present and they could just keep opening without having to wait for anything. Michelle enjoyed helping me open my stocking from them as well and telling me about each of the ornaments (my host parents bought me 3 or 4 Aussie Christmas ornaments and an Aussie stocking). Once that was done, Michelle and I played what my family call Santa and handed out presents one at a time and patiently watched (and helped) as everyone opened their gifts. When all the presents were opened we thanked each other and then I got ready for Christmas round 2.

Look back at the Christmas Eve post and you'll see the difference

The kids opening their first (and possibly last) stocking

With my kids on Christmas morning

JoJee enjoying his new blanket I made him

Ben fell in love with the puppets I made them

I got my big ol' box that came in the mail from my 2nd family and got Skype set up. I spent an hour Skyping with my 2nd family and it was better than any Christmas (their Christmas Eve) I've ever had with them. We spent the entire hour laughing (except for the few times me and Rama, my 2nd mom, spent some time crying). I opened up all my gifts from them first and then Rama brought out the presents I had ordered and sent there that no one else but her knew about. They were surprised and loved it. Of course my autographed Pentatonix shirt was in the box, which I've been waiting to have my hands on. There was a scarf Rama made for me that smelled like home and had my favorite blue in it that made me cry. There was the biggest bag of Veggie Straws (my favorite crunchy snack and you can't get them here) I've ever seen in my life. And there was a Pampered Chef Apple Corer/Peeler!! I don't know if you've ever seen one of these things or seen it in action, but they are outstanding!! It peels, cores, and slices your apple for you all in one go! My oldest little sister sent me a small Nemo, which I thought was funny because the gift I got her was a street sign that read "Wallaby Way". My youngest little sister sent me 4 bottles of nail polish, which I thought was funny because I sent her 4 bottles of nail polish. Neither of them knew what I had sent or that I was even sending anything and yet our gifts to each other were so similar. Love that we all know each other so well. I think I also cried over the Veggie Straws and Apple thing, but that's because I hadn't told Rama that I wanted these things or if I had I didn't remember it. They didn't just wander through a store wondering hmm... what can I get Nikki? They didn't even ask for a list. They just thought about me, conversations we've had, memories we've made, and thought of gifts from that. Those kind of gifts are some of my favorite. =]

After Skyping with my 2nd family it was time for Christmas round 3 - Christmas (their Christmas Eve) with my family. As always we started about 45 minutes later than we were supposed to, but it wouldn't be a family function without starting late and it gave me that amount of time to chat with my dad and then my mom about my holiday and Christmas. I had 2 presents from my family here to open that I needed while in Australia and my family had gifts in bags there that they opened for me when it was my turn to open. At some point I actually forgot I wasn't really there and almost asked my brother's girlfriend who had just stood up to get me a glass of water while she was up. There was lots of laughter, loud talking, and smiles shared. I love that Skype makes me feel like I don't miss out on any big things happening back home and lets me spend holidays making new and different memories with my family. I even got to wish my Munkie a Merry Christmas and watch her have fun in the Christmas boxes and tissue paper.

Then it was on to Christmas round 4 - what I like to refer to as Rowntree Christmas. Nikki and Louise and their parents sent me on holiday with a number of gifts to open on Christmas morning. Again with the tears - partly because of the thoughtfulness behind the gifts and partly because I just met this family 5.5 months ago and every day in one way or another I am reminded of their selfless love and kindness towards me. I've done  nothing to deserve how amazing they are to me and yet, it always continues. Nikki and Louise wrote me sweet Christmas cards and got me these unique I Love Cat earrings, which I actually put in for the first time yesterday and am in love with. My mom actually noticed them while we were Skyping this morning. She's been begging me to change my earrings since I got my ears pierced 4 years ago. They also got me one of my first Melbourne gift (the only other ones I have are MCG related) - an I Heart(but its the front of a tram instead of a heart) Melbourne tote bag. And Nikki put together 5 mixed CDs of Australian songs and artists that I can't wait to listen to! This is amazing because Zune won't play any of my subscription music here, so I've been listening to the same old songs over and over again. And it is perfect timing because I'm about to go on a 3 week holiday gallivanting around Sydney, Canberra, the beach, and the mountains and I'll certainly need music. And lastly, and completely unexpectedly, I opened Joan and Ian's gift (Nikki and Louise's parents) to find a gift certificate to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I was speechless and in tears. And honestly, it still leaves me speechless... Over the past 5.5 months I've done nothing for them and they've done everything and more for me and whenever I think it's slowing down, they find some other way to bless me and show me my Heavenly Father's love.

After the 4 Christmases I sat there in silence and tears as I thought about the morning and just how absolutely, completely, beyond loved I felt by so many different people here in Australia and back home in the US. It wasn't so much about the gifts, but more about the thoughts and selflessness that went into them as well as the conversations had, the sweet texts sent, and the laughter and smiles shared. You know how they say God is omnipresent... Well I believe it because He is certainly here with me in Melbourne, Australia.

My Aussie Christmas didn't stop there though! I had lunch with my host family, a beautiful chat with the Rowntrees, went to a Koala Conservation place with my host family, had a nice chat with Georgina, a fabulous nap on the balcony, woke to dinner made, and then went to bed early. I've never spent a Christmas with children, but it can be quite frustrating considering they don't understand it's supposed to be a day of being thankful for the gifts, spending time together, and having good attitudes. I didn't let it ruin my time though, I just worked even harder to shut them out. The koalas were cool, a bit boring (they sleep 20 hours a day), but still cool to see in their natural habitat. As for my nap - bare feet, pj pants, and a t-shirt sleeping on a balcony in the middle of December with the warm sunshine, falling asleep a view of the water - probably the last time that will ever happen so I made sure to enjoy every bit of it.

In the previous post I mentioned that two of my friends had said this Christmas away from home would be different, which would make it memorable. It was very different, but I couldn't have imagined a better Christmas in Australia and I will remember it always. =]