Merry Christmas to you, Adam. I pray you are having a wonderful day, as well. Thank you for sharing the picture of the Church of the Nativity. The Holy Land is a place I have always wanted to visit.

And Merry Christmas to everyone else……:-)

Adam,
A Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones….

Thank you for the picture of such a special place…

Hey Adam, Thanks for sharing that picture. I was there in 1999 and I loved it. It’s one of my favorite places that I have traveled to. Merry Christmas, Becky

What a wonderful thing to share on such a special day. I watched the special with Jon Scott and Lauren Green last night while wrapping gifts. Mere words can not express the holiness and respect I have of this place. Jon Scott’s special really explained all the different locations.

I meant to say Merry Christmas, my puppies are underfoot and I do get distracted by them!

Hey Adam–

Don’t forget this was my first guess out of a thousand in the Church of Holy Sepulcher so I was a few posts ahead of you-
Now is this the Door of Humility- built so small to keep the horses out?

Thanks for posting on Christmas day— I love your pictures–

and to share something cool with you- my German neighbor, who just got back from Hannover, Germany, brought me the smoker’s shepherd- a wooden figurine- He is built in two parts- you take the upper half off and you put a cone of incense inside- and after you attach the bottom to the upper half, the incense smoke comes out of his mouth where his pipe is– it is so cool! (and the incense is from Germany too) In his left hand, he is holding a lamb- I also have the Patron Saints- another wooden figurine she brought back from her last trip to Germany— (he is the patron saint of animals)–She also gave me a CD with German Holiday music on it-

I take care of her animals when she is gone and look at my compensations— What a beautiful day this has been– I hope everyone else is doing the same day– now it is time to go fill up on Mexican traditional holiday food—

A very Merry Christmas to all of you—-

oops- I hope everyone else is doing the same day—- meant to say– I hope everyone else is having the same day–

Adam, I hope your Christmas was great. Thanks again for another great picture. I know that the picture doesn’t do justice to the place and I just hope that you are grateful everyday for the places you get to go and the things that you get to see. (I hope that’s not too preachy). What I really wanted to say though was thank you for taking us along with you. I may never see these places except through your eyes and your camera. So thanks for being the kind of person that sees interesting and beautiful things where ever you go, and taking the time to blog about it all. I hope that 2008 takes you to many exciting places because that means we all get to go, too!

Yes Adam— thanks for taking us with you- where are you headed 2008- hints so I can start looking up everything in each place?

Emily- hope you had a great day– any good stories told to you this year by your family and if so, which was the best one? A happy one- I cry to easy– it is a girl thing-

Susan -
I got to see my grandmother a couple days before Christmas. I don’t remember how we got onto the subject of marriage (probably a lecture about how I need to consider that blessed state for my own life ) when she told me a little about when my grandpa and her were married. In Navajo tradition the groom is supposed to bring gifts to the bride’s family. They had two ceremonies one traditional and a civil one because my grandpa was in the Marines. This was over 60 years ago and she remembers the gifts that he brought for her aunts. Two horses (a mommy and a baby, as she said), rings, bracelets, necklaces and two concho belts. She’s getting very old and doesn’t remember a lot. I don’t remember seeing their marriage as particularly good, but this helped me realize that maybe I wasn’t seeing the whole picture. It was a special memory and I’m just glad she shared it with me. (see, not sad at all!)

Adam……….Merry Christmas to you and your family and loved ones as well.

I was away from the computers and tv’s for a couple of days…………and it was GREAT. You know if you don’t turn those things on, all appears well in the world. No Iraq, no politics, no crimes and best of all, NO BRITNEY!!!!!!!!

Emily-

I live in a very integrated neighborhood- my name reads, Phx, but actually, I live in El Mirage— which brings a negative connation to my environment- my neighbors are black, hispanic, asian, and native american— the percentage of these differ- so if you were to go on a website and read about El Mirage, you might read negative stuff- so I choose my name to be Susan-Phx- but I think I will change it so El Mirage- Because I love my block and I am so proud to be with these people- they are awesome!

I live right off of Grand Avenue and close to Luke Air Force Air Base- within miles of the wild zoo, and all the sports centers.

I love my neighborhood– no one is better or less- we just get along and I have these Rockwell moments where all these kids who are hanging out here on this block are getting along, regardless of race, and playing basketball on the hoops here on our street-

When I first came to Az, I bought all these tourquise rings. I had every finger covered with these.
My biggest, cool, thing was my concho belt- as back then , I had a very cool concho belt and I wore my concho belt around my jeans.

it was like I was trying to bring out the heritage of the Native Americans- It was my way of maybe having my voice heard–

You were here before I was, and your ancestors know this-

Your heritage is so important—- you grandmother— ahh- I know– Ken’s mom- she is stuck in her time- She is 90 and I am pushing for her to be 100- so Adam can do a covrerage on older people and maybe your grandmother and Ken’s mom can be on this coverage?

You probably own the property I am sitting on right now—

To be fair, out of what all of you got cheated from, you can have my backyard– go for it– the weeds will keep you real busy for a long time- —-

xxxxxxx

John–

You did flush the toilet? RIGHT?

Being away and all- no telling what you did in the last two days-

xxxxxxx

John:

Britney who?

The one who can’t drive?

Merry Christmas All!

I hope you all had a good time

Welcome back John. ****Leave Britney ALONE!
Hi Max! Good times

I wonder if anyone will come here– 16 posts-
now 17–

What about Happy New Year?

I like this picture–

Hi Susan!

I came back to check out #17.

Propero Ano Novo! I hope that 2008 is a year full of joy, properity and peace for you and all your friends and loved ones.