"Fake" Christmas Eve

Last Friday Manda, Jon and Max drove here from Eugene, OR to be with the family for "Christmas". See Manda and Jon were going to be with Jon's family on Christmas day so they came a week before. So my mom thought it would be fun if we celebrated Christmas while Manda and Jon were here.

 

Wed the 19th was the day that we picked to be "CHRISTMAS". So the night before that we did Christmas Eve stuff. We all met for dinner at Benihana's. We had two tables. On one table was Grandpa and Grandma Schrader, Mom and Dad, Manda, Jon and Maxwell.

 On the second table was Tyson and Chantel...

 ...along with my little family.

 When the Chef came out to cook for us, Cyrus was completely drawn in by the his skills. I don't think Cy ate one bite of food because he just stared the entire time.

After dinner was over we all (minus Grandma and Grandpa) headed over to the McDonald's and ordered 80 hamburgers. Then we all headed over the Homeless Shelter to hand them out.

I have never seen hamburgers go so fast. We should have ordered more than 80 because not everyone got one. It was the most humbling experience. These people were all lined up outside the shelter waiting to be let in. And it was not a very warm night. It was well below 30 degrees. That kind of cold that goes straight to your bones. Man I couldn't stand being out in it more than just walking from my car to and from Benihana. I can't imagine how these people felt.One lady held the burger up to her face for the warmth. While others goggled it down like they hadn't eaten in days.

Boy, I can't tell you how grateful I felt that night for our warm home and a cozy bed to sleep in. I was reminded how the simple things in life can be taken for granted. Our small humble home felt like a mansion that night. We are so blessed.

I am grateful that we had that opportunity to serve. Next year we should buy like 200 hamburgers. That way everyone there can get one.