Christmas Review

Well, we are finally home, but let's start from the beginning:

Wednesday, I left work at 3:15pm with my husband and his sister and headed for Abilene. We dropped her off, picked up my mom, got some caffeine, and kept going West until we hit Carlsbad around midnight. Thursday and Friday were spent playing games, cooking, cleaning, and lots of eating with family I haven't seen in months. We are very blessed to still have so many of them around. Friday night (Christmas Eve) we opened presents by the fireplace and were merry and cheerful. Saturday morning was spent saying "goodbyes" and giving lots of hugs as we left town after lunch and started our journey back to the East for Abilene.

Saturday night we arrived in Abilene to a turkey feast, family, and more presents under a new tree! It's always hilarious watching senior citizens try and open gifts :D Austin's family has always been welcoming to me, and I love spending time with them. After all of the presents had been opened and pictures were taken, we scooted off to my brother's apartment for a quiet night's sleep - but it was very cold there, and it took about an hour to warm up the place enough to fall asleep.

We met Austin's family for church on Sunday moring and then enjoyed turkey leftovers once more at their house. Everyone was dressed to the max for Christmas photos to be sent to all (be on the lookout via facebook for that collection). Then we got one last hug from everyone and went to spend some newly arrived Christmas money!

Austin drove safely home, and with very little traffic (even on Christmas Sunday) we made it home in 3 hours to meet his two Aunts and a few cousins for pizza at our house. Within 15 minutes of walking in the door, we realized our water heater had been busted for who knows how long, and was leaking behind the drywall and into the garage (THANKFULLY, the garage, and not on the brand new floors). We called my uncle, and he is getting a new one installed today - very quick plumber!

As the festivities last night came to a close, we were given a few more hugs and his Aunts returned to their homes for a few hours of sleep before the work week began. After showering down the street and finally getting into my cozy bed, Josiah and I were asleep very quickly and soundly after 5 days of festivities and visiting.

We are truly blessed with such loving family, and close-by friendships. Austin and I are also extremely thankful that everyone has already made it home safely (except Jana, who flys out tonight). Peace be with you all and your families too during this holiday season!

Spilled Apples

Read the whole way through - it's worth it!

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their families that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.

In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of baskets of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. All but one. He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping, and no one to care for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them into the baskets, and helped set the display up once more. As he did this, he
noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $20 for the damage we did. Are you okay?"

She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister..." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus?

That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day. You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.

Let us live like we are worth the price He paid. Think about it.

~Author unknown

Good Morning World

Well, we are now 22 weeks along with Josiah. Most days are pretty good. Still not very hungry. Sunday was very rough, I woke up very dizzy, and after it calmed some we decided to go to church. I made until the invitation song when the dizziness kicked back into high gear, and I nearly knocked over one of our elders trying to make it to the bathroom - poor Foy! Good thing he's a sturdy gentleman.

Austin and I spent Saturday together playing games, sleeping in, making meals and just enjoying each other's company with no obligations. It was nice to be able to do because in a few more months, it will be years before that's possible again :)

Currently, I am about to get ready for work, which is keeping be very busy lately. I am so blessed to still be able to work while pregnant. This job and the people I work for are highly understanding and very cooperative. And although I will miss the schedule when I am out for a few weeks in the Spring, I am looking forward to staring at our new baby boy at home.

Special thanks to Kathryn and my mom who have helped increase my maternity wear most recently!