Happy New Year!!!!! 2009

As another year rolls in we return to where we started the year, back in our home celebrating the New Year with dear friends and family. Every year we celebrate with 4couples who have known each other since college. We figured out we have known each other for 28 years. We have not always been together. We have had moves, hardships, and health issues but it is something we look forward to every year. This year we were blessed to have everyone here. There is no greater joy than the bond of friendship that can only be made through our common bond of loving and serving the Lord Jesus Christ. We have our ups and downs but when we come together on New Year's each year it is a time of celebration, laughter, fun and general silliness. Here is a sneak peek into our celebration....
The Faces of New Year's
Who is that Masked Woman?

Relaxing as we wait for the clock to count down.

Can't wait to celebrate!

Even our nurses join in the celebration.

Captain "Dad Pants"!

Live Long and Prosper.

A smile that will steal your heart.

Grandma Jo waiting to bring in the New Year.

Aubrey does not want her picture taken!


Ringing in the New Year
Laura is ready to snap a picture as the New Year comes in.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!



G blowing her horn!

Wendall all dressed up and bringing in the New Year. G's nurses have always been a part of our New Year's celebration and are such a blessing to us all.


Toasting the New Year (It's Ginger Ale! LOL)
After ringing in the New Year we lift our glasses in a toast to the many blessings the Lord has brought to us. Not the least of which is the promise of eternity with our dears friends and loved ones.

Marc and Laura were able to join us again this year. We were so blessed to have us all together again! God is good!

G was able to enjoy some giner ale too!

Our "children" are not so little any more. They are growing up to be such wonderful young adults.


Relaxing took many different forms after we rang in the New Year. Reading, uploading pictures to the computer and general snacking and conversation could be found in all corners of the house.

Enjoying Tim Hawkins "I'm No Rockstar" This picture was taken just as it was starting. Once it started we were all laughing too hard to think about taking pictures. LOL!

After our big celebration, laughter, eating and fun...All is calm....


The Next Morning we were treated to a wonderful breakfast of quiche, cinnamon rolls and caramel rolls compliments of Laura. Many sat down to a relaxing game of "Electronic Monopoly". They use Credit/Debit Cards and transfer money electronically. There is no cash! The pieces are an LCD TV, a Segue, a puppy in a purse, altoids, the space shuttle and a baseball cap.

They use Credit/Debit Cards and transfer money electronically. There is no cash! The pieces are an LCD TV, a Segue, a puppy in a purse, altoids, the space shuttle and a baseball cap.


The New Year has already started out as a wonderful blessing. We will continue to thank the Lord daily for the blessings He gives us throughout the year. May you all know the Lord and the blessings that He offers.
Have a blessed New Year!

Christmas Poem

One of the gifts we received was a poem that C wrote for us all.

Presents and Christmas

Christmas is a special time for celebrating fun and cheers,
Because we know that Jesus Christ was once born in flesh here.
Thus God gave us the first Christmas present ever
that we should treasure for ever and ever
Presents symbolize this every morning,
like bicycles or lions that are roaring.
It's time for me to leave now and I tell you this with love,
that God up in Heaven is looking down in love from up above.
It was signed, Love, Mystery Writer.


Here he is after he finished reading it to us.


What a joy it is to see our children's desire to give on Christmas and to use the gifts and talents God has given them to bless us.

Christmas Day 2008

12-25-08
Christmas Morning. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and enjoy birthday cake for breakfast.

After breakfast we sit around the fire as Phillip reads our Christmas Day reading from our advent book. This year it was Bartholemew's Passage by Arnold Ytreeide. First we light our advent candles and Phillip lights the Christ candle that is white and represents the purity of Christ in His sinless nature that brings us the promise of salvation to all who surrender to Him as Lord and Savior.

We follow our advent reading by reading the story of the birth of Jesus in Luke Ch. 2

The kids enjoy the fire as we listen to the Christmas Story.


After our devotional time we open up our stockings. Chocolate Oranges are a Christmas treat in every stocking.


We love listening to Christmas Music as we open our gifts. Here Phillip and I stop for a quick dance.

Seeing the joy on their faces definitely proves the adage it is more blessed to give than to receive. If we who are sinful love to bless our children with good gifts how much more does our loving God love to care for us.




We enjoyed the rest of the day relaxing at home until we went to dinner at my Sister-in-law. We ate, played games and just generally enjoyed each other's company.
Merry Christmas!

Sisters

During our Thanksgiving celebration we took family pictures. Here is a set of me and my sisters. How many sisters does it take to get a good shot?

Can you tell who is the oldest?




Then the baby sister steps in to add her 2 cents.



Are we ready yet?


NO! Wait just a minute.


Finally! I think it was well worth the wait. LOL!

What a joy to have all my sisters together again. Can you tell we laugh a lot when we are together?