First Stop: South Carolina

This has been an exciting Christmas break with lots of family and friends!  We started off our journey on Friday evening after Travis got home from work.  We got off later than expected and ended up only driving halfway that evening.  Luckily, my best friend from high school lives in Knoxville so we got to stay at her house over night.  This was the first time she got to meet Adelyn!  I think they will be good buddies!

On Saturday we left early to finish our drive to South Carolina to visit Travis' mom.  She is living in Columbia for a year while serving a mission for our church.  She hasn't seen Adelyn since she was just a couple weeks old!  Adelyn loved playing with Grandma Barlow and exploring her home!

While we were there, it was 78 degrees!  I was shocked at how warm it was!  We even got to go out on a walk around the lake by her house.  It was a good break from all the cold weather we have been having in Ohio! Grandma Barlow was able to show us around Columbia and the office she is working in.

 We went to church with her on Sunday where they had the Christmas program.  Grandma Barlow played the piano for most of the musical numbers.  She did a great job!  The ward (congregation) was so tiny!  I think she said there are about 70 members!  There are over 250 members in Dayton!  I think we have more primary kids than they have total members! 

I LOVED the program!!  I told Travis that I want to have a new tradition of going to a small ward for Christmas Sunday.  Last year we went to one with my dad.  I just feel like the spirit is so strong there!  It always touches me how people are so willing to do anything, even if they aren't perfect.  The program was not musically perfect, but it was perfect because of the spirit that was felt!  It really touched me and helped me realize why we celebrate this time of year! 

Meetings in small wards just remind me that we go to church to worship our Savior.  We don't go to socialize or to get out of the house.  We go to feel the spirit.  Everyone in Columbia was so friendly and welcoming and talked about how wonderful my mother-in-law is!

Since Grandma Barlow did not get to see much family for Christmas, the family came to her through video.  Each sibling (there are 9 of them) was assigned a scripture about the believers spreading the word about Jesus' birth.  We could read/act out/ do whatever with it.  Travis' sister put it in a video to send to their mom.   

Here is the semi-final copy.  It is pretty long.  Adelyn comes on around 6:35. 

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=129a4e413cf88469d9ce82b&skin_id=3001&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

I love that the Barlows do fun things like this with their family!  We have all sorts of neat keepsakes to share with our kids when they get older.  

Merry Christmas Grandma Barlow!  Thanks for letting us come a visit!