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• First Christmas
• Ben's First Deer

This year, 2011, was an exciting year for us!  So many things took place and all in a relatively short time!  For Christmas this year, we had been married just a month, and since we hadn't physically met by this time last year, it was also our first Christmas together. 

We spent the week before Christmas down at Brownwood, and Lewis, Mark, and Amy's son, Benjamen drove down to their deer lease in Sonora to go hunting together.  Amy's daughter, Olivia, was visiting from college for her Christmas break, so Amy and her two daughters stayed with Tricia in Brownwood, where they spent the week sewing dresses for Olivia.  The men got back from their trip earlier than planned, since Ben caught his first deer.  The guys spent Friday taking the meat to be processed, and taking the horns to the taxidermist. 

Saturday, we all drove together to Hermleigh to Mark's aunt and uncle's house.  (Tricia's brother and sister-in-law).  There we had a wonderful dinner together with all of Mark's aunt and uncles and cousins, and then played bingo and had a Chinese gift exchange.  There was lots of laughter and good clean fun, and all too soon, the night was over and it was time to drive back to have Christmas at our house.  

It had been snowing in Hermleigh, and it was a three-hour drive back, so it was late when we all got back here.  Amy still had some gifts to wrap, so we were all up pretty late. 

Christmas morning, we all went to Bible class and then worship before coming home.  Dinner was going to be a little bit, so we unwrapped gifts while we waited.  Amy thought she had spoiled Mark with some special presents, but his gift to her took the cake, for sure!  Amy was so surprised, but she wasn't done.  Mark's big gift arrived by delivery on Monday morning!  It was a special couple of days of surprising each other, followed by another week of sewing with Tricia.  Lewis, Mark, and Ben went back to the deer lease later that week to close it up for the winter and make a couple of repairs to some of the equipment. 

The New Year arrived quietly for us after all that excitement, and we spent the evening quietly at home.  We hope this new year is a special one for you all!