It's Christmas Time!

Hi everyone and Merry Christmas!

OK, so I know that Christmas isn’t for another couple days, but even here in China I’ve heard Christmas music for the past month. I hope that each of you are enjoying the season.

Here in the Peterson home we’ve initiated a new idea that I’m excited about (it was Heather’s idea, although I wish I could claim responsibility for it). We’re going to try to start a new tradition in our home where our kids select some of their toys each Christmas to give away. At the same time Heather had this idea another friend of ours told us about an 8 year old girl (her name is Lucy) here who is HIV positive (her Mom is also HIV positive and her Father left their family). She doesn’t have any toys and also doesn’t go to school. So needless to say, we found our first person to give our toys to. Yesterday, Sydney, Heather, and Sydney’s friend Joshua all went over to Lucy’s house to deliver the presents. They had a great time and we’re very excited to have started this new tradition.

I will follow that cute tail with another side of the Peterson family. “MY LIFE IS OVER!” is what was shouted by my daughter Sydney from her spot in timeout. You may be thinking “What sparked this declaration?” well it was because while she was in timeout she wasn’t allowed to help us clean-up… I will repeat that, her life was over because she couldn’t help us clean-up.

Well we’re looking forward to our Christmas coming up. We’re planning on spending it with some friends and family (my brother’s family). I think, last I heard, we’re ordering pizza, which really, isn’t that how they’ve celebrated it for the past 2,000 years? We’re also going to bake cookies and watch Christmas movies with our friends and family, now who does that to celebrate Christmas???

We want to wish you a Merry Christmas! And hope that all of you enjoy some time with your friends and family!

Much love,

Matt, Heather, Sydney, Aubrey, and little Caleb

P.S. It’s Christmas Eve here in Xian and it’s snowing! How cool is that? (We only get snow once or twice a year)

P.P.S. Check back in the next couple days to see pictures of our Christmas time.