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We had a nighttime Christmas parade this year, all bright and twinkly. Several floats and lots of tractors were all decked out in lights of many colors.

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A parade is just not a parade without horses, and we had several riders who braved the darkness, but it was kind of hard to string lights on the horses. We did have a lights-covered wagon pulled by two mules and a decorated buggy pulled by two matched Haflinger light draft horses

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After the parade, the activities continued down at the Muleshoe Heritage Center for more Christmas cheer and to meet Santa. A big crowd enjoyed viewing the historic buildings and homes which were decorated in appropriate holiday fashion.

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The two Haflingers, Bill and Belle, pulled their decorated vehicle loaded with the Gary Morris family down to the Heritage Center so people could get a closer look at them and their rig.

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As I was driving back down American Boulevard after the parade and visiting the Heritage Center, I saw the Christmas star that is always on top of the co-op elevator every year. A familiar sight, it made me smile to see it once again bright and shiny in the nighttime sky, so when I made a stop at the grocery store, I just took a picture of it. After all, it was a night for Christmas decorations, and it deserved to be acknowledged, too. As I was walking toward the store, a pick-up passed me and then backed up even with me. The window rolled down, and I heard, “Is that you, Mrs. Liles?” I looked up to see Amanda and Marcos Soto, former students of mine! We hadn’t run into each other in a while, so we had a nice reunion, and in the course of the conversation it came up that Marcos worked at the elevator. I told him I had been taking Christmas pictures and had included the elevator star because I always appreciated it being up there. He smiled and said, “I put that star up there yesterday.” Not an easy job up in that wind, I might add.  How ironic that we would meet in the parking lot, for goodness sake, and have that star in common! A small but nice little Christmas miracle.

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And there you have it. Merry Christmas to all, and for all, it was a good night.