A mixed morning...

While we were celebrating the Christmas season, visiting with Santa Claus, and having fun with our friends, children in Connecticut were being gunned down by a crazy killer.  Why??  Who does something like that?  How does someone become that sick and that far gone to purposefully kill children?  Twenty children.  I just don't understand.  All of those families.  Mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers and grandparents and friends grieving for those innocent children.

In some ways, now looking back, it makes our morning even more special.  We were together... with friends and family.  I really wish James would've been with us.  I made sure to give him the biggest hug I think I've ever given him when he stepped off the bus today.  Like all of you, I will add these families to my prayers and try to make sense out of this senseless act of violence.

Here was our much, much different morning...

The 82nd Airborne Museum on post.
Santa parachuting in!

Henry picking out a stocking...

Clayton, Santa, and Brittany

Our family minus James.
It goes without saying, but Peter
is NOT a fan of Santa.

Henry and "the real Santa" spending time together...

Each child got to pick out a toy
after getting off of Santa's lap.
No surprise-- they both picked out stuffed dogs!

The Condrey family and Santa Claus

He was one of the most authentic-looking Santas we'd all seen.  And they did a fantastic job decorating the museum to look like the North Pole.

God bless the families in Connecticut.