A Christmas Phone Call

We waited all Christmas Day for Cody to call and finally at 12 we got the pre-phone call phone call to tell us that he would be officially calling us later to actually talk to him.  He called around 3:30 and we got to talk to him for about 30 minutes.  He and his companion were back at their apartment after a busy and very filling day.
Since Christmas Eve was on a Monday, it happened to be their P. day.  Cody said they played some basketball after going to the Family History library to do their emails since the public library was closed.  That night they had a dinner appointment at Sister Anderson's house.  She is an amazing cook he said and he thinks that she is a pastry chef or something. She made them an incredible meal of fancy things that we don't normally eat around here.  He said the main dish was a lamb and brussell sprout something and there was some sort of baked lemon pudding.  I hope to get more details in a letter.
This morning they had a breakfast appointment at 7:30 and were there until around 11:30 he said.  There was a huge breakfast feast with stuffed french toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, and grits.  I can't remember where he said they were for breakfast but they sure took care of them!  Each elder was given his own Christmas stocking filled with personal items:a tie, pens, paper, gift cards, etc and then each companionship was given a great big stocking but I can't remember what was in that.  THEN they each got 5 or 6 wrapped gifts too!  He said that he would send a picture!  After breakfast they had a lunch appointment where they had a huge Christmas dinner.  This is where he called us from the first time.  The sister whose house they were at called me first and wished me Merry Christmas and said that she was so thankful to us for allowing our son to come on a mission.  She said that he had been entertaining her family and joining them in quoting movies all afternoon.  Then he got on the phone and said that he would be calling us later from his apartment.
After that lunch appointment they had a dinner appointment and were treated to another Christmas dinner.  He said they were so very very full!  They headed to their apartment after that and then he was able to call.  He seemed so very happy and in good spirits.  He is loving his mission and has lots to say. He told me of a few things that he wants and needs but otherwise he is in great shape.  He did buy a bike the day after he got there and they use the bikes every other week when they have to trade off with other elders for the car.  They really don't have to bike that much though because the members carry them wherever they need to go.
Cody talked to his dad, his brothers, Grandma Dottie and of course his mama.  It was a great Christmas phone call and I am so very grateful that he is being taken care of so well.  I am sure that makes it so much easier on the transition from normal life to mission life.  He said that there is a sister there who will take their memory cards from their cameras and download them to her computer.  She then will make discs for the missionary, the family and a backup.  He said that she will do that every Wednesday when they have district meetings or something so hopefully we will have some pictures in a few weeks.  He did say that the humidity makes it so much colder but that it is not as suffocating as it was when he first got there.  We will look forward to his emails on Mondays and another phone call on Mother's Day.