la vida en Puerto Rico: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

Yes, even here on the tropical isle of PR. If any of you use Yahoo as a web browser you too may have seen that San Juan was voted the #1 spot in America to go on a winter vacation, beating out Honolulu which came in second. The article recognized San Juan for it's warm, sunny climate, the cultural experience that is hard to beat, and the array of food and festivities during the winter months. The Christmas lights really are spectacular, along the highway, and especially in Old San Juan. The most wonderful and amazing thing of all, is the undisputed celebration of Christ's birth (unlike all the liberal protests back in the states). The manger scene is the focal point of just about every lighting display around the island, on the sides of freeways, and in shopping malls. I guess it says something about the "old heritage", and the fact that most cultures hold on to what has been a part of their culture since it's inception. Christianity, having been brought here by Columbus and the Spanish that followed, remains to be "the reason for the season" in PR. I will share more with you on the way they celebrate the season down here, and the wonderful traditions we are learning about, in later posts.

~We are trying like crazy to finish out our online studies in anticipation of dad's return this coming weekend, and Skylar just a few days later. Can't wait to see my precious other daughter. It's been 4 long months; I've never gone without seeing my children for more than 5 days and this has been the hardest part of my journey. If it weren't for Skyping, I don't think I would have made it this long. Nathan will have to wait until the first of January to make the trip, making this our first Christmas apart in his 23 years of life. I'm still not sure how I'm going to handle this, but I guess it is one of those inevitable things that every parent faces as their children grow up.

Have a blessed week as we remember the anticipation of the birth of Christ this Christmas season...love to all, joni.

"A voice cries out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God....then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all the people shall see it together." Isaiah 40:3-5

The smallest tree we've ever had. We've spruced it up a bit since this photo. Hunter is just being plain silly:)

Hunt and Wy work on gingerbread house

Manger scene with live animals in the mall

The red City Gate, Puerta de San Juan, or San Juan Gate, is the only remaining city gate. It was called the Water Gate because it is where Spanish disnitaries and soldiers would arrive by ship and enter the city. It was one of six original massive wooden doors that, centuries ago, were closed at sundown to protect the residents. Above the gate is inscribed “Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini”- Latin for “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. The wall is about 15 feet thick. If you go straight through the gate and up the hill, you are following the same path many sailors took after a long voyage - straight up the street, to the cathedral, to thank God for a safe journey.