Love & Be Loved: A Very McHendy Christmas

/ Jodi

mchendy-christmas-2016

After family Christmas parties last weekend and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Monday was our McHendy Christmas.  A day we gather together with our “best friend family” – the McKinneys and the Hendersons – to celebrate.  We have been a McHendy friendfamily for over 25 years.

This year welcomed a few new members.  Here are the new moms with “B” and “C.”

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New moms mean…

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new grandmas…

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and grandpas…

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who nurtured while the rest of the gang…

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played crazy games like the hilarous SpeakOut – where you put a contraption in your mouth and try to enunciate what is on your card while your team mates try to guess what you are saying,

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and the social word game CodesNames, which I totally recommend for a great, easy to learn and fun to play group game.

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It was so fun to get this gang together in one place from all over the country this holiday season.  From tiny babies to adults and growing families, wings have stretched and flown, but when we’re all together, it feels just like home.

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We decided on a no-gift theme this year, and instead, contributed in a small way to a charity of choice, Ronald McDonald House Charities, by purchasing matching #LoveandBeLoved T-shirts.  You can learn more about LoveandBeLoved here, a great organization I learned about through the receptionist at my office who heads the local chapter with her husband.  Their mission is a simple yet profound one:  It is every human being’s God given responsibility to show love, and every human being has the right to be loved regardless of their race, gender, age, sexuality, or beliefs.

Sending Love with Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

36 thoughts on “Love & Be Loved: A Very McHendy Christmas”

  1. Looks like you had a wonderful time and I love the shirts and what they stand for. Also love how you chose the Ronald McDonald House charity. That has a special place in my heart, as you know. A truly wonderful charity to give to. You all definitely have captured the meaning of the true Christmas Spirit. Love and Hugs! <3!

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    • We sure did – I love these peeps with all my heart! I’m so glad we were able to help others out in a very small way too. I do recall that Ronald McDonald House is near and dear to your heart. Sending love to you and yours C!

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    • Thanks PJ! I know- she is growing so fast! I tell her not to, but she still is 🙂 She has already gained 2 lbs and is changing every minute. Starting to smile and really respond. These peeps are truly our family and the love we share is unbreakable! ❤

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      • She is so beautiful and gets more beautiful every picture I see. How fun to watch her growing and beginning to respond to you! I think it’s wonderful that you all are family after so many years of being friends! Happy New Year, Jodi!

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  4. What an amazing “role model” group. The fact that “no gifts” was agreed (spending money on gifts has nothing to do with Christmas anyway, and everything to do with profits for businesses); the fact that many people went out of their way to enable the “get together”; the fact that a charity of choice benefited, and the fact that “Love”, and all it entails. is publicly broadcast with those t-shirts…… What a wonderful example of the true Christmas spirit! 🙂

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  15. Love this! Ronald McDonald house is also close to my heart. Helped my parents when Scott was young. Ally collected pop tops for her Mitzvah project for them for her bat mitzvah. I love your McHendy family!

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