(pictures)I spent my afternoon & evening evening on Black Friday with my daughter… Often a tag like that suggests long lines, loss of massive amounts of money, holding on to clothes, unhappy faces, people falling over each other to get stuff. I just got a update from an Indian student on Facebook that said, “had a terror tym in Grapevine… it was a nightmare there.” Grapevine is a huge and usually nice outlet mall in the area, I asked why and he said, “Oooh man… It was terrible.. I went there along with some of my friends to buy Jacket n staffs…. It was a mess… I was surprised at the rush of people there in Grapevine…:s” I think we all understand… Anyway, back to my story… While C-5 and I went to a place that was crowded and busy, we found it to be very invigorating and joyful. C-5 and I took a bunch of international students to Granbury, TX to see their annual Christmas Parade.

With students from Taiwan, Korea, Iran, Vietnam, USA, and Turkey, C-5 and I with friends the Humphrey’s & Ahern’s were able to enjoy the parade that truly celebrated Jesus and we also saw a little of the other guy in a red suit. We even met up with another of our ISI groups from UTD led by Ray & Laurie Cotton & John & Mary Anderson… It was cool, in that group was on old friend from Taiwan that we hadn’t seen in a while.

We started the day visiting a cowboy store (have to do it in Texas), and they toured the wonderful historic town square in Granbury, TX. This is a town rich in history as Davey Crocketts wife settled here after the war of Texas independence and it is also rumored that Jesse James lived in this town after his law breaking days. There are delightful shops with antiques, country foods (C-5 ate more chips and salsa samples that all get out… even the really hot stuff… she has a real thing for hot foods), unique and fun things. (We didn’t have to buy much… C-5 loved it all though)

Anyway, C-5and the students had a delightful time taking tons of pictures, holding up candles where the flame was passed from person to person throughout the parade route, singing Christmas carols including Joy to the World and other favorites. We ended the perfect evening with a stop at Starbucks to reminisce and reflect on the evening. It was a truly joyful day on Black Friday.