This is the first Christmas Eve since Perrin was born that we haven’t been with her (and Melinda’s whole family). Ella was lamenting this a bit as the week progressed, that and the awareness that this is her last Christmas as a “child.” She’s not sure what next year will bring, and those thereafter. On top of that, we didn’t get a tree or cut out snowflakes or anything normal. No poppers, even!

Still, we were able last night to watch Perrin open her presents from us via the marvel of FaceTime. What’s FaceTime? Time with your face, I guess, and the faces of others, as you can see in this photo.

What did Perrin get? A Harry Potter book collection and a sorting hat. Perrin put on the hat and we all immediately heard, “Gryffindor!”

Greg, her dad, put it on, too. “Slytherin!”