Our Christmas in photos....

Playing Santa at the Christmas party we held at the institution. They took turns playing Santa for each other too. I've never seen a Santa suit have so many wearers, or so many excited faces to be able to play that part. 

Christmas Eve dinner with our volunteer friends

The boys show off their tricks.

Our little Christmas Team

Time to hang up the stockings

Santa presents

The 2 favourite presents - a sled and a laser pen he asked Santa to bring as a toy for his cat

Christmas Day present delivery to the babies. They let Cristi come too because it was Christmas.

The shoebox was almost as big as her!

Christmas Dinner - Chinese as requested by Cristi who wanted to eat with chopsticks on Christmas Day.

Boxing Day deliveries to our little family from school. The 3 eldest came to help us carry the packages across the field to their little home.

Happy faces!

Ionut was just so excited by his shoebox - best smile ever!!

Family picture. They were so excited to show me their tree! It was decorated with packs of shoebox sweets!!

A trip to the mountains to get out of town and......

......find some snow!! YAY!!

Snowy hay stack

Time for sledding - oh yes I know there is hardly any snow here but it was so slushy we went zooming straight into the bramble bushes at the bottom of this hill!

Time to try out Dani's snowboard - he did not bad to be honest!

Mini Snowman

Team work saw a bigger snowman being built

Time to leave.....how many can you squeeze in a car to get us up the snowy hill to our cars?!! The boys were delighted to be sat in the back - Ce tare!!

A Christmas message from us to you!

I'm sorry I know it is a little dark, blame it on the Christmas tree lighting!

Some shots of the last week

Cheeky Elf

Lucia singing in the Old people's Home

Looking for the perfect tree....

.....and decorating it.

First Snow - Happiness!!

 

 

Of course by morning it had almost all melted. The only place it remained was the roof - an ideal vantage point for snowball throwing!

Gingerbread cookie yumminess! The house smelled great that night!

Dec 13th - Lucia

A white gown wrapped in golden tinsel
Atop our heads a wreath of gold
A candle burning brightly surrounded by the songs we would sing

Three languages.
Four countries.
Intertwined by the love of a forgotten people.

Lucia - a crown of flickering flames
The sound of jingle bells, harmonies and laughter
Bringing a sliver of light to their day.

Children laughing
Sing with us
They have learned the songs in a language not their own
Their faces beam with warmth for us
They love this day. This moment
Lusse lelle

Next stop:
Christmas boxes handed out by our children to the old
Hidden away - the smell overwhelming
Left alone - the emotion is building
Sing louder
Burn brighter
Show them 5 minutes of love.

Journey onward:
An orphanage looming
Tiny faces grin at our outfits
Laugh and sing with us
Cheer and wave at us
Leave them - again.

Tired.
A whole day singing
Tired.
A mix of emotions
Still we sing
 Small moments of happiness

"Somebody cares
Somebody sees us
Somebody sings to us
I am not alone at Christmas

But..... I am".


Don't forget those who we sang for. They have very few who care for them, visit them, love them. Young. Old. Both have been left. I can not show you their faces but know that I carry them with me. You can see our faces. Our Lucia train. Our little flicker of light to them. As Lucia was for Sweden. Remember what this day is for. Bringing light to those in darkness. Spread a little light this Christmas. If you can.

Branch Cutting

Yesterday I wrote that I looked forward to today and it was just what I needed. A tidy house started to be decorated, Christmas cards made, relaxing fun time with my boy and a trip to the forest with our friends to select a branch for our kitchen. Last year we started this tradition to help Court feel a little less homesick. Unfortunately we can't go Christmas tree cutting like those Coloradan's so a Romanian forest branch has to do!! It was a sunny cold day and we took a little trek through the local forest to find the perfect branch to bring home. Then home for hot chocolate, pepperkaka and decorating. Here are a few moments from the day. I hope you managed to find a few moments to relax and enjoy this lovely Sunday too.

Searching for the perfect branch

Björk Family Branch

Our little branch

"Hmm I think we chose well!"

Friends

The finished ensemble

December so far....

Oh my is it really the 10th December already? In fact it is in 10 minutes the 11th. How does time go so quickly? The clock ticks and turns and winds time away from us so ferociously I don't have time to do all those Christmas crafts I had planned for Cristi. December madness has indeed struck our little Romanian/Swedish/American/British community. Running round on tired legs we prepare packages and parties for our projects and children of varying ages. Our own little Santa's workshop.

Christmas crafts and present making by the children at the special needs school. Holding babies. Christmas lights. Depot work. Christmas boxes. Fika. Christmas music. Singing practice for Lucia. Holding some more. Hide and seek in the dark. Advent calendars. Baking. More music. More singing. More loving. Laughing. Fika. Babies. Boys. Joy. Laughter. Tiredness. Full days. Waiting for tomorrow. A free day. Pancakes. Decorating. Card making and branch cutting. A new tradition with my friends. My family. I love December. I love Sundays. I can't wait for tomorrow.

Here are a couple of Cristi's favourite moments from the past 10 days.

La Multi Ani Romania - Dec 1st Romania's national day.

 

 

 

 

Loving the advent calendar Buni!

Dec 6 - Slippers left out for Mos Nicolae/Micolas (depending on where you are from). Cristi's letter read "Mos Micolas, Thank you for my present I would like sweets and gloves. Cristi" He left him a lollipop - a compromise from the big plate of cookies he had wanted to put out.