Christmas day with Bekah

Lying in the couch in Bekah's lap, chilling, just after our Christmas dinner.
Our tummies are full and we are almost dozing off. But it's good.. this is alright on a holiday just meant for recharge.

Here are a few pictures from Bekah's house:

Africa lives in this home!

1 day till christmas!

Looking out the kitchen window, with the christmas angel ornament

and a beautiful cross. Outside is Jayne, Bekah's mom.

Bekah in her room!

Bekah's pretty little christmas tree.

And her ornaments seen below!

She had lots of ballerina's <3

Hanging by their entrance <3

Africa, Africa <3

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I love the celebration. I went to church with the Bartz's Christmas eve and Christmas morning. Both of the services I went to reminded me of Jesus as being the light in this time. They even lid a 5th advent candle, to remind us of our everlasting light.
We sang 'Away in a manger' both days, my favorite Christmas song!

Very pretty little church

(this is where her dad is the pastor)

Yesterday night, we went to a light show close to lake Michigan. It was a Christmas light show, designed along a path. So we walked through bows with lights and past trees covered in white lights and lights forming Frosty the snowman, Santa's sleigh and Santa Claus. It was very cool and idyllic.

'Light up the bluff'

Frosty the snowman!

A fairy tale carriage!

A walk around the town, late at night

heading back home with the family..

but the streets were lid up and magically covered with snow

Bekah and the christmas grinch

When we got back we had the almond Christmas tea, that my grandparents had sent to me from Denmark. Jayne, Bekah's mom, still can't get over how good the tea is. Like at this very moment she came up to me and said "Jasmin, I still can't figure out what the special taste it, I can't get over how good it is!"
I shared some Danish marzipan and Portuguese salam de chocolate with them too.

And for dinner - home made sushi

They were very grateful that I shared all my traditions with them. I hung a woven heart on their Christmas tree - which by the way has an ornament made of popcorn and berries all around the tree, very cool and special!

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This Christmas morning we woke up to a snow-covered garden (not that there was no snow yesterday.. but this morning it was still snowing!). "MERRY CHRISTMAS!", we heard form every room of the house.

Morning, America! (looking out Bekah's window)

We all got up, tired but eager to wake up to this special day. Before church at 9 am, we had time for a home baked cinnamon roll and orange juice.

The delicious cinnamon rolls

Sweet Lucy, Bekah's 15-year old sister

Sarah, Bekah's 18-year old sister, getting ready for church.

She likes her mirrors ;)

Bekah dressed up for church,

and with a 'sleigh bell 'around her neck ;)

When we got back from church we opened our presents. First of all we looked in the stockings from Santa! (First time in my life I woke up to my own stocking from Santa!).

A stocking for each of the kids in the house! :)

AMERICAN candy!!

Opening presents took some time this year, we all agreed.. since everyone had grown a year older, - a year more patient for everyone to open one present at a time!

Bekah reading my letter <3

Jayne, Bekah's mom and Donghee,

the exchange student in the family

I got so many special presents this year - many handmade from my siblings, and wonderful surprises from the Bartz family. All things seemed to capture me so well :) .. things like: a Disney princess cup, tea, a calender with inspirational notes for each month, a beautiful silver bracelet with the engraving "Everything great starts with a simple dream".

The Disney shirt and silver bracelet

I got from the Wittenbergs <3

I also recieved so many beautiful handmade things form my sisters: a calender from Clara with pictures of us from Kenya - some that I'd never even seen before, a red silk bag, earrings, a doll.
I got some Danish candy that I got to share with the Bartz. They were all in shock of the extreme salty licorise.

This morning I loved a moment, when we were trying to even out the gifts, so that everyone got one, before we had our second gifts. Sarah had not gotten any gifts yet, even though there had been loads for everyone else. "Sorry I haven't found one for you yet, Sarah".. her dad said. But Sarah just replied, "No, I'm watching mum open my present.. it's like the same thing."
I couldn't agree more. Bekah digging deep into my card was the best part of the morning for me :)

Sarah :)

Laughter, hot tea, dimmed lights, resting, chocolate cookies.. I'm looking out the window and I see small birds flying into the little bird house outside the window.

In a bit, we'll be watching the movie 'The Christmas story' with the whole family. Just cuddling and snuggling, yay. - I know nothing better than that. Sarah, Bekah's sister said: "You really love snuggling, don't you Jasmin?". Oh, yes! You don't know me well enough if you haven't discovered that yet ;)

I LOVE their dog Annie!.. because it loves me.. ! I have been lying here on the couch next to Bekah, writing on my blog.. and in all that time, she has been lying with her nose on my leg half asleep.

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I had a nice long walk with Bekah around her house and in the forest behind her house. The surroundings are almost 'Bambi-like'.. we saw a frozen lake, that made me want to ice-skate. We'll go to the ice rink in town tomorrow though :)

Bekah finally got all her layers on,

ready for a walk in the snow!

Their dog Annie!

I kept picking it up, singing "the sun will come out, tomorrow!"

I love this nativity, that the church set up by the road.

It's right outside their house,

and has a perfect setting out in the winter wonderland.

Their cat 'Snicker doodle'

Their house is by the end of the road, after the nativity

A snowman the family built a few days ago.

We couldn't build a snowman, because the snow was too dry 

- not the packing now you need to build snowballs.

The garden behind their house,

leading straight into the forest

Bekah's rabbit, who doesn't have a name..

they just call it bunny!

My first snow angel of the year!

best.thing.ever <3

On our walk Bekah reminded me that I needed to let myself relax, because I got into talking about things I stressed about having to do.. she told me that I should write it all out on a to-do list, which I said I'd already done!.. but talking to her about it was comforting, because it released some of the stress in my head. Ironically, most of the stress was from worrying that I wouldn't fully recharge for when I return to school - aware of the extra pressure the next semester would bring. But stressing about not being stressed is not a good combo - so I am stubbornly letting that go today. As soon as I get on a sledge on the hills around her grandma's house, Bekah said, I would forget all worries and have no trouble relaxing! I think that's true.

The Bartz house :) So neat and peaceful

Beautiful and happy Bekah out in the snow!

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Bekah's dad forgot to turn on the oven for the turkey.. so for Christmas dinner around noon we had ham and then we had another dinner around 6 tonight with the turkey!
Honestly, my stomach has been hurting all day. Every time I had a breather I spent that time eating... oh gosh. But it's only this one time of year.
I got so much candy in my stocking from Santa.. my plan is to eat it all before this holiday is over, so that I return to my room back on Manhattan with no candy AT ALL! - hopefully!

Right now, I am watching 'Homeward bound', a special children's movie (well,, I don't know why I'm saying that, because I still enjoy watching it!..) - one that I watched when I was little, and haven't seen since I was about 5. Good memories. Very sweet and sad movie!

Nate, Bekah's boyfriend is over. Very glad to see him and getting to know him, Bekah's special one.

In a bit I think we will be watching another movie with the whole family upstairs.

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I am grateful to be here with such a dear friend and her amazing family.
Yesterday I thought - wow I have actually been around quite a lot in the States.. I have been through New York, Virginia, Maryland, Pensylvania, Indiana and Michigan. Later on this week I'll be going through Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
I didn't think I would have been so many places in 4 months already! Knowing how busy I'd be and how little money I had for travelling. I have been lucky to have family and friends all around who provided for me and made it possible for me to see all these places. :)

It's been good to video chat with my family, and say thank you for their presents. I don't miss them in a way that I wish I was home .. but I was glad to be able to see my siblings faces when I said thank you for their beautiful gifts for me.
Basically everyone I know have said to me that I should prepare myself for the Christmas holiday, - how hard it is on you, when you're away from family. Everyone from my class went back home.. to Panama, Brazil, Finland, Portugal, Alabama, England..

But I have not had difficulty with being away from home.. at all.. I have noticed the traditions that I'd usually have on this special day, but they have all been naturally exchanged with other special traditions. I am with great friends and welcomed with open hearts into their home, and I am just embracing being somewhere new, seeing new things.
I do realize than I'm lucky having great friends here, and not everyone has a warm house to go to Christmas day... but I do know now that Christmas isn't about old traditions, it's about gathering in love.
If your heart is big enough, it can be with anyone.

Have a great night, and see you soon ;)
Holiday, yay! - more time for blogging.
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