December highlights - I started my new position at the beginning of the month. I spent much of December screening applicants, interviewing, and helping make the final selection for my replacement on top of learning my new job and keeping up with the old job. A new friend from church will actually be starting with us this coming Monday, and I am extremely excited to work with her every day. Welcome to Tufts Career Services, Janine! I'm so ready to hand over my old job to Janine so I can finally focus on one job instead of barely pulling off two! And the timing could not be much tighter as the Spring semester at Tufts begins in a little over a week.
Greg completed ALL of his Fall coursework in December, and the relief he felt was quite awesome. He had intended to only take two classes this fall as he is working part-time at our church as the lead worshipper, and he was also teaching a few lectures and continuing to prepare coursework throughout the semester for a class at Gordon College. So when he ended up with three courses last semester, he found himself completely overloaded trying to make it to the end of the semester! We're so thankful for how God sustained him through it all and protected our relationship in the midst of all the stress!
Ayse (eye'-sheh) continued to break many things throughout the house, mostly ornaments this past month. She was fascinated with our tree. Yet she's still as cute as ever, and we can't imagine how quiet and boring our home would be without her.
Greg & I flew to Erie, PA mid-December for an early Christmas with my family - Dad & Mom, Drew & Carrie. It was wonderful to be together as always. I absolutely adore my family! :) Greg and I enjoyed playing with Drew & Carrie's two labs and continue to want a dog one day should we ever have a yard! Drew & Carrie got a lot of teasing from the four of us about when they'd be ready to expand our family! LOL! I'm so glad I'm not the oldest sibling! Dad & Mom are doing extremely well. I hope Greg & I can be just like them when we've been married as long as them!
After returning to our beloved home in Medford, Mass, we only had a couple days before our second family Christmas with Greg's side. Mike & Mary flew in the Friday before Christmas, and it was likely the most relaxing Christmas I have ever had. It was a little chilly and snowy in Medford, so we stayed in most of the days, reading, watching movies, playing games, eating tons, sharing gifts, and just soaking up all the time together we could get. It was our first Christmas to all be together and our first Christmas with Andrew as part of the family. We're so thankful to have the two of them close by (literally a few doors down).
We had a wonderful New Year's Celebration this year. With Andrew, Angie, and some friends from church, we hit Boston for Boston's "First Night" celebration. Greg & I visited the Mappariam, ate some McDonalds french fries, walked around Copley Square, toured the Boston Public Library, bought a book at Borders, looked at ice sculptures and watched ice skating in Boston Common, ate my favorite pizza from The Upper Crust (with Dr. Pepper of course), watched the 7pm family-friendly fireworks in the Common with the group, toured a really old cool home, got really cold, and then joined some friends for a fun indoor party of incredible food and fun games. Even saw the 12am fireworks from their apartment window. What a great day! I think we slept until noon on New Year's Day!
Enough writing (can you tell I've been going through blog withdrawal). Here are plenty of pictures for you to peruse. You may notice that the quality of photos is much higher than normal - my family got us a new WORKING camera for Christmas! Wahoo!
TREE DECORATING WITH "ANGDREW"
Our first ever real Christmas Tree - can you believe neither of us had ever had a real one before?!
Andrew & Angie found this ornament for us on their honeymoon in Maine. You can't really see the coloring in this picture, but it looks exactly like our little kitten!
