This message may be a day late, but Kyle and I want to wish all of our family and friends (and especially our faithful readers!) a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

As most of you know, we are spending Christmas in Germany, with my Aunt Angie and her family. This is our first Christmas away from home, but we have felt so wonderfully at home here that it has made the separation from our families back in Halifax quite bearable.

Being in a rural community has also let us escape the hectic and unnatural consumer atmosphere that surrounds Christmas in most cities, including Oxford. Here, we have spent most of our time enjoying the company of family, delicious home-cooked meals, intimate church services, and wonderful views of the countryside. It has certainly been a Christmas that we will remember fondly.

Merry Christmas once again, and best wishes for the New Year! Look for Kyle’s photos and thoughts on Germany in a week or so.