Happy Easter

So I'm going to just ignore the fact that I have been a blogging slacker for the past 4-ish months and pick up like I never left off.  I apologize for my long absence...

I will start by saying Happy Easter everyone (and by everyone I mean the probably one person that still might read this).  I have to admit that Easter kind of snuck up on me this year.  Between finishing up school, trying to sell our house and finding a place to live in Charleston (SC for those of you who don't know that I will be doing my residency there), I haven't spend as much time as I would have liked reflecting on Easter and all that we have to celebrate.

But I have to say that it was so refreshing and renewing to my soul just to spend Easter morning worshipping and fellowshipping with our church family.  I am truly thankful for the Christian community that God has allowed us to be a part of in Morgantown.  I couldn't help but think this morning how much I am going to miss it.  I certainly haven't gotten to know everyone in our church as well as I would have liked but I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a group of Christians who show such genuine care and love.  It's amazing how having Jesus in common can bridge so many other differences.

I hope your Easter was blessed and that you were able to spend time reflecting on and rejoicing in our risen Savior!

Merry Christmas

So maybe I'm a little behind at blogging about Christmas but the last month or so has been a blur of traveling so cut me a little slack.  Christmas was no exception in the traveling blur but it was truly a great holiday for us.  Jamie and I were blessed to be able to spend time with both of our families -- we celebrated with his family on Christmas Eve and my family on Christmas Day.  Here are a few pictures from the festivities:

Jamie and I exchange ornaments every year and these are ours from this year

Jamie opening his WVU throw from his mom

The kids opening gifts at Jamie's mom's house -- the one facing the camera is our super cute nephew, Dylan

Jamie helping my (also super cute) grandpa open his gifts

Jamie modeling his new coat from my parents (technically an early birthday gift)

Jamie modeling the scarf Tiff made him

Me opening my Wonder Woman shirt from my parents...in case you didn't know, Wonder Woman has been one of my favorites since I was a kid...I used to wear my mom's bracelets around and pretend to be her.

Jamie opening his Keurig...he was so excited!

Jamie with the new coat hanger/picture frame that my parents got us...can't wait to hang it!

Even though the gifts aren't the point of Christmas, I am thankful for all the wonderful things we received and the generosity of both of our families.  I also love the tradition that we have with my sisters and brother-in-law  to get each other gifts that don't cost anything.  It's always fun to see what creative things they come up with and I got lots of fun handmade gifts out of the process.  And even though Jamie and I aren't supposed to get each other gifts (other than ornaments), Jamie got me a new phone for Christmas.  I am now the proud owner of an HTC Evo and I love it!

I hope your Christmas was as good as ours and that in the midst of all the chaos you were able to reflect on and celebrate our Savior, the real reason for the holiday.

merry christmas!

We didn't send out Christmas cards this year but hope these pictures of our "kids" will do. I couldn't actually get Lucy to pose with any Christmas garb on so had to edit that in for her :). Merry Christmas! Praying that you spend some time reflecting on the love of our Savior whose birth we celebrate.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Christmastime is here again somehow. Once again, the year has flown by but 2008 has been one of the most eventful years of my existence for sure (more blogging about that later). One of the big events was buying a house and I love being able to decorate it (instead of a tiny apartment) for the holidays. We even have a real tree! Just a few pics of the beautiful tree below. More blogging when I officially finish school, I promise.

The tree with Jamie's tree topper of choice -- a tobogan

The tree all lit up

The nativity scene under the tree

join the conspiracy

In light of a Christmas season that has already seen people trampled to death over the perfect gift or the best deal, I hope you will watch and consider this video and it's message. The concept of the advent conspiracy is simple:

[Worship fully]
[Spend less]
[Give more]
[Love all]

However, these simple ideas may be harder to put into practice. I know that when I am focused on getting the right thing for the right person and how that will affect me financially I have a much harder time worshiping fully and focusing on Jesus in the midst of the madness. This year, I pray that we will spend more time than money, give more love than gifts, and focus on Christ more than a holiday. Will you join the conspiracy??

For more information visit: http://www.adventconspiracy.org

thanksgiving

Above is a picture from my Thanksgiving dinner. This year, my celebration was a little different than in the past. Dinner with the fam was on Wednesday and we headed back to Morgantown yesterday because Jamie had to work and because our community group was having a Thanksgiving dinner for some of our homeless friends who live on the Rail Trail. It was a great celebration and one of the only Thanksgiving dinners where you could hear the quote, "There's a man up there who is becoming a woman. He has boobies." After dinner, we stuck around and played some cards, listened to some after dinner tunes courtesy of Larry (see pic below), talked, and spent a lot of time laughing. All in all, it was one of my more memorable Thanksgivings and the beauty of it was it didn't feel like charity, it didn't feel like a handout....it felt like family. The people you see in this picture are my friends and family, the folks I spend every Sunday with and who accept me exactly the way I am. And for that I am thankful...

Dinner buffet style :)

Larry serenading us after dinner

An intense game of cards...