Merry Christmas to all!

Merry Christmas to all of my family and friends! I had the pleasure of celebrating Christmas with my family the weekend prior to Christmas. We had such an amazing time together! We have had some rough times in the past, but we were able to put that all aside and truly appreciate the time we spent together. I am so blessed to have such wonderful parents, great older brothers, and amazing sisters-in-law! I absolutely love spending time with them and miss them dearly... I cried twice the day we had to leave Sioux Falls to come back to Rapid City. Matt and I had yet another serious talk about moving to Sioux Falls or not... I just really love and miss my family.

Then we got back to Rapid City and I was reminded of why I love this town and the friends/family I have here! Plus, I truly enjoy my RCRH family too! I had to work Christmas Eve night shift and I was supposed to work tonight but they decided to move around my schedule so I didn't have to! It is hard to work any holiday, but the people you work with can really make the difference. Thank you to such a great crew that I had the opportunity to work with the last shifts. I also want to send thoughts and prayers to all the patients who have to be in the hospital over the holidays... It is hard to be away from family for the holidays, so I try to spread the Christmas joy while I work.

I was grateful for the opportunity to be able to go to Christmas mass this morning too! It was so nice to be able to really join in on the celebration! It was so great, but I ended up in tears during the mass. I kept looking around and seeing everyone so happy to be with their family that I ended up having crocodile tears running down my cheeks... I think it had a lot to do with being so tired from having worked the night shift prior to going to church. It is hard to know that my extended family is having a joyous celebration and I am missing out on it... I love you all and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas together!

Please remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas:
Luke 2:9-11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Merry Christmas! Peace and love to you all!