Epiphany!

So today is/was Epiphany, or Orthodox Christmas, which I'm sure there's a more technical name for than "Orthodox Christmas", but I can't think of it just now. I celebrated the holiday with my Homegroup, which is just an amazing bunch of folks. Rachel and her family put on a huge spread - wow, amazing food, with contributions from other assorted folks. I've never been with a group of people who talk so animatedly before - whether we're doing Bible study or just sitting around the dinner table together, there's always much animated conversation. Normally, I can't get a word in edgewise, but it's just so much fun to listen and laugh and be a part of it all anyways!

We had a great $5 gift exchange, as well. I was also quite amazed by the quality of gifts that came out. Some were much more creative than mine - Matt made sure he got exactly to $5 by including a separately wrapped postage stamp as well as the $0.30 change. Good times, good times.

But I had too many other options for fun this evening - I honestly had 5 invitations for parties/gatherings this evening! When it rains, it pours, I tell 'ya. Now I'll go for the rest of my time here without a single invitation to anything... just you wait.

So I left my Epiphany party early to join my friend who is leaving to go on a DTS in Switzerland! I love her family and we had a great time telling stories and laughing. I'm sure gonna miss that girl, but I think I'll have to pop in on her parents once in a while, since they're so much fun, too!

I had to run home after the second party to let the poor little doggie that I'm dog-sitting out of her kennel. Boy, I've never seen the little fluffball run to the door so fast when I let her out of the kennel! She really had to pee, I guess... It's been really nice to spend a few days at my aunt's house to dog-sit while they're away for the weekend. I feel so at home in this house,a nd I realized that it's the first time in quite a few months that I've been in my own house! While I really don't like living on my own and I love living with my family when I come back home, it's nice to have a few days of my own space for a day or two now and again.

I even had a tiny party last night - a few of my friends came over and we played a rousing game of Scrabble... followed by a few episodes of Scrubbs. Scrabble and Scrubbs. What more could a girl ask for on a Friday night?!

I'm still hoping to have an Epiphany or two on this Epiphanous Day, but so far... no epiphanies, and it's now time to go to bed... maybe tomorrow will be more conducive to epiphanies.

But on a completely different note, Epiphany has something to do with the 12 days of Christmas, so here's a link to the lyrics of my favorite version of "The 12 Days of Christmas"