From Christmas to New Year to Now

2009 blew my socks off, I can hardly wait for 2010!


Have you ever felt like this after the holidays? ;)


I didn't post our Christmas dinner pics, because I didn't have them uploaded yet and Nate reminds me that I should... So here they are. I really wanted to start a family tradition - do something different than turkey or ham. So this is what we came up with :) Fish with spinach, shrimp, barley, wheat, and rice side dish, and a supposed to be yummy dessert that looked pretty but wasn't what it was supposed to be. Yay for homemade whipped cream and fruit... That part was good. The puff pastry didn't puff...

If any of you like fish, this recipe ROCKED. I used Kalamata olives instead of capers, because I didn't have capers and I had to use Bata fish (which was VERY mild and nice) since I couldn't find striped bass: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/striped-bass-toasted-shallot-vinaigrette-spinach-10000001692716/index.html

We enjoyed Christmas night here at home with a nice meal, and we might have watched a movie, but that seems like a long time ago and now I can't remember - ha.

I don't want to forget all that God has done in the past weeks... It's been an awesome couple of weeks.... I've enjoyed being with Nate who had a LOT of time off work and it was so wonderful to be able to be a family and get to know each other even better. I can say I've been blessed with two incredible men in my life!

As we speak, 19 of my coworkers and about 100 friends and partners in the Gospel are meeting in Delhi, India. I would normally be on this trip, but my sweet Baby Benson is keeping me home. A very good reason to miss the meetings in my estimation! There was a whirlwind of action between Christmas and New Year's Day when the crew left for India. And now I'm trying to get ready for them to come home for a week before leaving for Ethi-pia for the next meeting.

Instead of boarding a flight to India on New Year's Day with the rest of our team, I went to our friend's house to watch Penn State beat LSU. Honestly, though, the ladies spent the majority of the game in the kitchen or talking or both. Ha.

It was very weird for me to not be leaving, but in so many ways, it's BETTER because I really am enjoying being here. And really, the team now is going to do things better than I ever did :) I really believe God is ushering in leaders who will do the job and carry it even further than I can. Isn't it so neat to release things knowing God's Kingdom is HIS?

Our travel agent at work just sent me this little nugget of wisdom a few minutes ago, how do you like that? "Maybe your current time at home with your family is a lesson in letting go of something good (all the ins and outs of Global) to hang on to something better. All too often our good becomes a hindrance to our better (or best). Just a thought."

The past couple of months, I've been meeting with my friend on Tuesday afternoons to pray for our families and some other families. I've also had the opportunity to hang out with some other ladies and God is doing BIG things. I definitely sense in the times of uncertainty, He is proving Himself faithful as always and answering prayers left and right. I look forward to seeing His hand in more and more things in days to come! I just feel like I need to boast in the Lord. The very relevant, HUGE answers to prayer are astounding. So I will boast in Him. And thank Him for letting me join Him for the ride!

This past weekend, we had fun hosting friends - our friends Luke and Janine who are getting married in May came over for dinner Friday, then on Saturday, our Wedding Coordinator buddies came over for a reunion of sorts. Benson DID NOT want to go to bed, but he's a baby and was tired, so this is what happened to him. Poor little people person. Couldn't miss the fun, but couldn't stay awake. He and Doreen became fast friends and well, I think Benson will like Canoeing with them in the summers :) Thanks Loren and Doreen for spending an evening with us!

Our sweet friend Jen came over yesterday (we missed her hubby Ryan and Nate, but it was fun to have girl time finally!) and we had an awesome visit! She spoiled me with lunch from Panera and brought the cutest little outfit for Benson. It fit him perfectly and don't the two of them look super cute together? Yeah, I thought so. Jen is a miracle and so is Benson. It was awesome to hear the dreams of God for her life and I just say that the promises of God are YES and AMEN! I'm believing with you and Ryan! Please ignore the folded laundry on the bed ;)Nate and I are looking forward to traveling to California next week so my best friend and her hubby can finally meet Benson (and I can finally meet her brother Jeff's fiance - both Christine and Jeff have been dear friends of mine since I was 14. Or was it 15? I'm pretty sure it's 14. Whatever the age, they've been my thick and thin friends - the ones you love to pieces even if you don't get to see them often enough). From California, we will drive for about eight hours to have Christmas with my mom and sister in Sedona, Arizona. It hasn't felt like Christmas is really over because of this, so I'm stuck in limbo here. ha! Can I just say I'M EXCITED!!!!!!!!! It's going to be such an awesome trip!!!! I can't wait to see all the people I love so much! And the best part, is that the trip will end up costing very little with flyer miles, discounts on car, staying with family and friends, and travel vouchers. I see it as a blessing from God for us to be able to do this. He's so good!

And we sign out tonight with a video of Benson being cute and me being a dork trying to get him to be cute. Ah, such is parenting, eh? Turn up the sound so you get the best of both...

We love you!