Work conference with kids in tow

I simply don't want to lose these photos, so I'm posting them here.  Directly after our time in Portugal, we had a three day work conference in the mountains.  (By directly, I mean directly.  Our flight from Lisbon was delayed a few hours, which meant we were a couple hours late for the conference!)

We'd been traveling all day, and Eva simply did not want to fall asleep on the trainride into the mountains.

You know it's a good hotel for kids when they make animal faces out of the morning pastries!

Bad blurry picture, I know.  But this guy is the best.  A colleague's son, at least four years older than Nathanael, if not more.  Nathanael adores him.  And that means, so does Eva.  I tried to capture it in this picture.  He slowly walked Eva down the stairs to dinner, listening patiently while Nathanael ran circles around them, talking nonstop. :)

Lastly, Eva fell in love with mothering this little doll.  It was just one of the toys in the hotel's play area for kids, but she was completely enamored.

GEM Annual Conference 2015

We returned on Saturday from our time in Germany for GEM's Annual Conference.  Two long days of traveling, four+ long days of sessions and seminars and meetings over meals with two young kids.  Although it was indeed quite tiring, we also were pleasantly surprised by how much better both kids did this year.  I don't know if it's that they're growing up or that we've been at that same location three years in a row now.  Or maybe it was having another young family there with us (10-year-old Jonathan is his hero) that helped Nathanael have a better experience.  Whatever the cause, we were encouraged by the improvements in our family's experience.  Work-wise, we had lots of important discussions and meetings and gained a greater appreciation for our organization's history and current trajectory.  It was also unique to worship through song in English and with a band!  We greatly enjoyed that.  A team from a church in California came to serve all of us in various ways, including leading us in musical worship and being the hands of feet of an amazing Kids' Program.  Wow, what a special ministry!  We are grateful!

Of course, all my photos are of the kids.  I'm also sharing a few photos here taken by the Kids' Program.

Traveling to the hotel...a taxi, then an airplane, then a 3.5 hour busride.  Eva finally gave in and slept a bit.

Two tired Kings

Eva smiling for her teacher on the last night

Nathanael engaged in Carnival Night fun

Planning retreat

We escaped to the mountains last weekend for our annual planning retreat with colleagues in Austria. The location was the JUFA Hotel at Bruck an der Mur.  The train trip there was stunning, up over the Semmering mountain pass and all through snow-covered mountains.  Sheer bliss!

The kids did really well with the two-hour train ride.

 

JUFA Hotels are incredibly kid-friendly, as seen by the view from our hotel room patio.

Once we arrived, we put Eva down for a nap, showed Nathanael the play room, and sat down together to watch the snow fall and drink a Melange (Viennese cappuccino).

The kids had their own program, run by some gifted friends of ours.  They did, however, get to join us for snack time!  Eva looked so grown up, joining in with the bigger kids!

This is how Eva and I spent a couple of the meetings.

I took this picture to show the view of the forest from the meeting room.

And here was the only non-blurry picture I managed to take on the train-ride home (with a sleeping baby in my arms).

 

I promise, we did have a lot of productive and helpful meetings.  I just didn't think to take any pictures of that part.

Third conference in two months!

Evangeline loves to sleep with one hand behind her back.  Here she was, completely sacked out (and sick) at our organization's annual conference in Germany.  She and I were both sick and thus spent a lot of time in our hotel room.

And do you see a trend?  Here she is sacked out on Dad on the busride back to the airport.  I'm not so sure Dad wasn't snoozing as well.

And that is all I have to report on the week-long conference.  We were EXHAUSTED!  But we're thankful that we made it through this season of work conferences.  Although valuable, these things are really tough with young kids!

Long-awaited Direction

God has turned a new page in the story of our life, and we are excited about what He has shown us! A little over four months ago, we moved from Boston to Emporia. We had no idea what God was doing, but we knew He was asking us to take a step of faith in searching for a new direction for our family. And now He has enabled us to catch a glimpse of that new direction.

On Thursday, Gregory, Nathanael, and I were commissioned to serve with Greater Europe Mission (G.E.M.) in Vienna, Austria. Gregory will be serving the Austrian church through theological education, and we will together seek ways to share the love of Christ with the Viennese immigrant community. What an incredible answer to prayer this new direction is for us!

We spent the past week at an interview/orientation week in Colorado.

Prior to our time with G.E.M., we were able to reconnect with some dear friends in Denver. (I can't believe we didn't get pictures with everyone, but here are some of Gregory's MSU friends.)

Nathanael wore his Halloween sleeper on the 31st. :)

We experienced our first snow of the season, Nathanael's first ever!

The newly appointed group, going to the UK, Germany, and Austria, with G.E.M.

Nathanael had an amazing time with Grandma (the granny nanny); she even let him drive!

You may be wondering when we'll be moving to Vienna. Before we go, we will be developing a network of prayer and financial ministry partners. So we're not sure what God's timing is for our move, but we'll definitely be working diligently to develop our partnership network over the next few months. We are thrilled to enter into this task and are excited to see who God leads to join us in strengthening the Austrian church and sharing His love among the Viennese immigrants.

Silence, Sleep, and Vienna?

"Why so silent at Ye Kings of New England?" you ask.

Two reasons.

One. Nathanael has been learning healthier sleep habits. (Read: Greg and Kim have been busy helping him learn these habits.)

Two. Greg and I have been working on a lengthy application.

Regarding Nathanael's sleep. We had been hoping to start sleep training shortly after we moved to Kansas, but travels caused us to delay the training. And then around three and a half months - just as the books say - Nathanael's night wakings restarted, likely as his cognitive and emotional developments enabled him to realize that crying out at night would mean cuddles with Mommy. Thus the training commenced. Today was day ten. His naps, though not yet consistent from day to day, have finally begun to improve. He's been a gem at night since day two (with one minor struggle around day four or five). The first night was difficult on me, hearing my darling crying, but ever since then, he's been mostly marvelous at falling asleep on his own, usually with no more than a few seconds of whimpering. (Of course, now that I'm writing this, he just woke up and is seriously crying. Boo hoo!) One development that has made us laugh that has actually helped him self-soothe -- he loves to suck on his fingers. Not his thumb, but two to three of his middle fingers. It's absolutely adorable and is sure to make anyone smile.

Here are a couple pictures from a family nap pre sleep training.

And here's our finger sucker. Not the best picture, but you get the idea.

Regarding our lengthy application. I won't write much about this, but basically Greg is quite interested in a job in German-speaking Europe which would likely place us in Vienna, Austria. The job is a training coordinator position for BAO (Biblische Ausbildung am Ort). Seeing that this would require us to uproot our lives and move, the organization is careful to recruit the entire family, so I'm technically applying as well. Here's something crazy exciting about this opportunity, other than the incredible fit that the job is for Greg -- did you know that Turks are the largest ethnic minority in Austria, with an estimated 200,000-300,000? Now THAT is exciting! If this is the next place God has for us, it will likely be many months (years?) down the road though as we will need to raise the funds for the position prior to moving.

Here's a picture of Vienna I found online:

An Interview with Kim: Our Move

In an attempt to let you all know about our recent move to Kansas, I am copying an idea from a friend's blog -- an interview with myself.

So Kim, tell us why your family moved.

K: Well, that actually goes back a year and a half to our March 2009 trip to Istanbul. Greg was about to graduate from seminary, and we thought we were headed towards a PhD program in the UK. But after visiting Istanbul again, we started considering returning there instead. In June 2009, Greg decided to apply for a job there; it seemed quite likely that we'd be able to move to Istanbul in the summer or autumn of 2010. But in December, we found out that the non-profit to which he was applying was having some major fiscal issues, and they would not have funding for Greg's position for at least two years. We were so disappointed! And at that point, we were only four months from our son's birth. Thus, Greg began looking for a full-time job. We were greatly appreciative of the part-time job he had through seminary (leading the music and worship services at our church in Cambridge), but we knew it was time for a change. With the addition of our son to the family, we knew we weren't to continue our seminary lifestyle (Kim working full-time and Greg working part-time in a job that wasn't meant to be a long-term position for him). So when our apartment lease's end came (end of June) and we had no major breakthroughs in the job search, it was time to make a change.

Why Kansas?

K: My parents live in Emporia, Kansas. We're actually living with them temporarily. They are blessed to have a large home with space for the three of us to move in and spread out without taking over. (Well, sometimes I think Nathanael's stuff has taken over the house, but my mother claims she likes seeing his toys around.) The decision to move here was mostly a financial one. Boston is an expensive place to live while looking for a job; Kansas, and particularly with family, is much more economical for us. Other than finances though, it is a huge blessing to have my parents' help with Nathanael, and they love getting to spend these first few months of his life with him.

What type of job is Greg seeking?

K: Greg is a gifted teacher/trainer/equipper, so ultimately, he is looking for a position which will enable him to use those skills. Additionally, he has a high need for relational components as opposed to mostly task-specific responsibilities. How that plays out and in what type of organization could take many shapes. A couple more obvious options are (1) an associate pastoral role in a church, focused on discipleship and spiritual formation or (2) a Bible teacher at an academic institution.

In what locations are you looking?

K: I have to be honest; our hearts are still in New England. We went there for Greg's studies, but we also felt God's calling to the area beyond his schooling. We love the place and people and would be delighted to return. That said, we will always have our eyes on possibilities abroad; it's simply who we are. And we tend to be drawn towards coastal cities. Finally though, and most importantly, we do acknowledge that we have no idea where God will take us and that wherever that place is, it is the best place for us. Even if it's [insert less desirable location here]. :)

And what about you? Will you be looking for work as well?

K: Good question. I guess it depends on when and how and where everything comes together for us. For now, I am absolutely loving the time I have to simply be Nathanael's mother. He is changing so fast that I would be missing so much if I were working right now. At some point though, I would love to work again on a part-time basis. Quite a few years ago, I got my TEFL/TESL certification and would love to use that, maybe teach a class or two a week. But it would have to be just the right situation to take me away from Greg and Nathanael. We shall see. It may also be the case that I'll need to work part-time to help support the family, depending on where God takes us next. If Greg is working at a church, I would love to have the freedom to engage in a significant amount of hospitality and discipleship, especially with other young mothers, women, and couples.

How have your first couple weeks been living in Kansas?

K: Okay, I must preface this with my current circumstance; I'm sitting in my mom's large kitchen beside a sheet of fresh-from-the-oven big soft ginger cookies. My almost three-month old is sleeping peacefully against my chest, and my husband (who is actually sick right now) is napping on the couch. Doesn't all of that sound wonderful (other than the sick husband part)? So of course, right now, I'm going to say that it's going well.

There are definitely moments when we struggle with how humbling it is to be "living with the parents" in our culture. And though Kansas is a great place (hey, I grew up here), it's not really where or how we envisioned raising our family. We do know this is temporary though, and knowing that helps us on the days when we wonder what we're doing. We do have those days!

On the other side, it's wonderful to have the support of my parents right now. It's nice to share household tasks with my mother. It's amazing to watch Nathanael with his grandparents. It's special to be so near to relatives and be able to introduce them to our son. It's fun to be here to experience some of the traditions in which I was raised. And my parents' church is great; the people are supportive and engaging. We are thankful for all of this.

But we deeply miss our friends and family in Boston...

Saying goodbye at church

One last photo opp with our family

Our moving party in Boston (some of them)

Post-moving-party goodbye with the Fays

I wanted to post some pictures with our community group, but I don't have them yet. So those will come later.

Anecdotes

Last Sunday, Nathanael had a little poop explosion while Greg was changing his diaper. Greg was shocked but did a marvelous job cleaning and sanitizing. He was on his way out the door for a birthday party, and moments before he had to leave, he realized he had poop on his shorts. Oh well, that's fatherhood. He went to the party, poop and all.

On Monday, just before heading to an event at work, I was burping Nathanael, and he managed to spit up all down the back of my shirt and skirt. I didn't really have time to change. I figured that my co-workers will simply need to get used to that common accessory on me. Motherhood.

After we put him to bed for the night, Nathanael has been sleeping a 4-5 hour stretch somewhat consistently now for a week (skipped a couple nights though). Tonight, I think he could have slept that fifth hour again, but when I checked on the little grunter after four hours, he had worked his bum into the bottom edge of the bassinet with his legs and feet propped up on the edge. I think he's about to outgrow that bed.

And lastly, my favorite. I keep an old toothbrush with my cleaning supplies and use it to clean various hard-to-clean nooks and such. The other day, Greg used it to work out some grease stains in his slacks and then proceeded to leave it on the bathroom counter next to the stain remover bottle. (You know where this is going, don't you?) Well, that evening as we were preparing for bed, I handed Greg the toothpaste and we brushed our teeth together. After Greg finished rinsing his mouth, he went to put his toothbrush back in the holder and discovered that HIS toothbrush was still standing in the holder! Yes, he had just brushed his teeth with the household cleaning toothbrush! His disgusted reaction was so extreme that I couldn't stop laughing for a few minutes. He used listerine a few times that night. Apparently, since I handed him the toothpaste, he thought I had also sweetly gotten out his toothbrush as well. LOL! I still laugh out loud when I think about the moment he realized what had happened...

Date night at 4 weeks

At four weeks old, Nathanael had his first evening away from the parents. Our friends and neighbors, Nick and Deborah, watched the little guy. We heard that the majority of his time was spent napping with Nick on the papasan, though he also had a few minutes of charming the downstairs neighbors/relatives and cuddle time with Deborah and his bottle.

(This picture is not from that night, but it's still a special Nick and Nathanael picture from when he was a few days old. We have yet to get one of the three of them together.)
While those three hung out in Medford, Greg and I had a date night in Boston. My work graciously provided free tickets to the Boston Pops, so we made an evening of it. Here we are all dressed up for the evening.
We had dinner at Symphony8 before the concert. The food was decent. I have to admit that other than just the incredibleness of being on a dinner date with Greg, I think my favorite part was the Smithwicks. I hadn't had one since pre-pregnancy!
And though we only stayed for about half of the concert, it was wonderful to be able to attend. The music was spectacular, of course.
We grabbed a nice Starbucks drink on our way out, and we were home about three and a half hours after we left. Amazingly, no tears were shed (though close), and we did NOT talk about Nathanael the entire time (though he was definitely mentioned frequently).

Thankful Sunday

We may be inducing labor this coming Thursday (key word: MAY), so instead of waiting until Thursday to post this, I wanted to write it today.

In the midst of waiting on Nathanael to be born, I am thankful for (in no particular order)...

1. The amazing support we've received from family and friends. Among my favorites: you moms who have written to empathize with the emotions of passing that "due date". I know I am not alone, sisters! Thanks for the sweet words and heartfelt prayers. Tuesday is 41 weeks for us, and it really is a testament of God's generosity to bring us so far with this pregnancy!
   
2. An active and seemingly healthy little boy. We had our first non-stress test this morning, and the nurse said he is doing beautifully. His heartbeat is strong and reacting as it should be at this point. We have another test and an ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday, and we're expecting to hear/see the same.
3. An unexpected transitional period from work. As we all thought Nathanael was going to come during that first full week of April, my maternity leave began the 5th. It has been wonderful to rest and have time to give attention to so many things that I never dreamed I'd be able to do -- such as reading some parenting books and devotional books, cleaning out my personal email, catching up on our finances/bills, spending more time praying, and...
4. Hours and hours of just being with Greg! What an unexpected gift!
   
5. Flexibility from so many people! My family has been prepared to visit for the past two weeks, and they're STILL waiting to request those vacation days and buy those plane tickets! Their "hosts" are still wondering when they'll have house guests for a few days. The church has been gracious in allowing Greg to take a few Sundays off. Many of you have made yourselves available to distract Greg and me over the past couple weeks. We are deeply thankful!
6. Time to choose to slow down and try to begin letting go of expectations I have of myself that need to be dropped as a new mom. I know this will be so difficult for me, but I really want to give myself the freedom to be able to just be a wife and mommy for the first couple weeks.
7. Our gracious God who has sustained me through the ups and downs of the last two weeks and whose Presence is truly my life's treasure.
   

Greg's Ordination

My husband was ordained on Saturday. You might wonder what that actually means. Well, I thought Wikipedia said it well, so here's what they wrote about Protestant ordinations:

In most Protestant churches, ordination to the pastoral office is the rite by which their various churches:

• recognize and confirm that an individual has been called by God to ministry,
• acknowledges that the individual has gone through a period of discernment and training related to this call, and
• authorizes that individual to take on the office of ministry.

Greg first met with our church elders and then a council of ordained men who spoke with him about his calling and his theological beliefs. Our church held a service to officially ordain him on Saturday. It was such an encouraging time for us as our friends gathered around and affirmed Greg's calling and giftings for ministry.

A friend who leads the music at another church led a few songs (To God be the Glory, Everlasting God, and Your Grace is Enough). One of Greg's mentors here in Boston read a few appropriate Scripture passages, even one in Koine Greek (the original language of the New Testament). Greg shared his story of how God called him to believe in Christ and to commit his life to ministry to the Church, and our associate pastor asked him to share some of his theological beliefs. Our pastor shared a brief message with Greg (and me) from 1 Timothy 4:16. "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." And then the church spent some time praying over both of us.

We're immensely thankful for our church family in Cambridge as they have embraced us and encouraged us onward in our calling to ministry! I forgot to take a picture during the actual service, but here's a picture of the joyful ordainee just after the service. (Sorry it's blurry.)

I am so proud of my husband and how he has relied on the grace of God to come this far. We're really excited to see what role God might have for us next.

Shameless plug for Tufts

Some of you may have watched an episode of two of the NBC show, The Sing-Off. Well, The Beelzebubs, Tufts' oldest all-male a cappella group, have made it to the finals, and it would be awesome if you would vote for them. Here they are singing "Sweet Caroline"...



Vote for the Bubs!

• Call 1-877-6-SING-01 (1-877-674-6401)
• Text 1 to 33088
• Cast your ballot on NBC.com

You can vote 10 times per phone or e-mail address (30 times total). Voting ends Sunday, Dec. 20, at 9 a.m. EST.

Autumn Musings on an Odd Day

Last night, Greg and I decided to pull out the winter clothes. It has been quite chilly here recently, and we were both getting desperate for our sweaters and winter socks and coats. It was surreal for me to pack away all my summer clothes and realize that the next time I pull them out, I'll have a little one in in my arms...and somehow I doubt I'll be able to wear half of those clothes again!

This morning, we woke up to snow flurries! It was such a strange site, walking to work in the falling snow while the rows of trees along my walk were still green with only touches of autumn peeking about. I have been watching closely the row of trees along my walk, as it happens every year that suddenly one day I will look at them and find the most amazing display of colors. Today wasn't the day; they are still green. But that didn't seem to stop the snow.

We lost power at work today. Not just our building but a large portion of our city (Medford). Apparently some manhole covers near where we used to live were on fire, and somehow that caused the power to be lost for what they're now saying will probably be 8-10 hours minimum. Greg and I live less than half a mile from my office, but yet, here we are blessed with electricity. I am thankful. But I have to admit that I am more thankful for the extra few hours I have this afternoon to SLEEP (and blog).

Lastly, going back to yesterday, Greg and I were able to hear the amazing sound of our baby's heartbeat again. A month ago, it took our doctor a good minute or so to find this little one's heartbeat, but yesterday, he found it in a few seconds. Our little one seems to be developing well and healthily, something for which we are thankful and amazed. We're excited to find out whether I'm carrying a boy or girl in four weeks and bring home some pictures as well!

Thankful Thursday

Hmmm, you might just see a theme this week...

I am thankful for...

1. Liz's hug today to encourage me to keep on.
   
2. Steve's phone call this afternoon to make me laugh and let go of some of the stress.
3. Dinner with Karen tonight to help me forget about work and share life with a dear sister.
4. The hope that my office will hire someone in the next couple months to take some of the load off of the rest of us!
5. The knowledge that I'll make it through this crazy month and probably look back and think, "Oh, that wasn't too bad." haha
6. Music that calms my mind and heart and focuses me on the God of Peace.
7. Sleep - and that's what I'm off to do RIGHT NOW!
   

Thankful Thursday

I hope you're not tired of these. I have ambitions to pull some pictures off our camera soon, but it's not going to happen today. So, on with the main attraction.

I am thankful for...

1. A much needed three day weekend. This will be my last Friday off for a while. Summer is almost over.
   
2. The strength to make it to Friday! September is going to be LONG; good, but very long.
   
3. Panera Bread's broccoli cheddar soup and fresh lemonade. Yum!
4. A good night's rest. I missed a few of those recently, and the last night I slept incredibly well was truly a sweet gift!
5. The energy and life the college students are bringing back to campus and our neighborhood as they return. I'm sure this will become annoying quite quickly (when the loud music and frat parties keep us awake), but I really do love this time when they start trickling back and stopping by to say hi. Can you believe classes don't start here until the 8th?!
6. The times my husband picks up his guitar and just plays and sings around the house for no other reason than because he loves to play.
7. These 30 days of Ramadan in which I can join with many others around the globe to pray for God to reveal Himself anew to our beloved Muslim friends.
   

Tribute to Steve

Three of my co-workers at the 2008 Tufts Career Fair
Debbie, Steve, & Janine

Today is my teammate's last day at work. He will be greatly missed, more than he can probably imagine. He's been an incredible teammate, always full of creative ideas and more than willing to do what it takes to implement them. I will miss him for all that he has taught me, from the little things like specific html coding (aw, Frontpage) and online tools (*wink*), to the big things like showing me by example how to strengthen our client relationships with a unique balance of professionalism and friendliness. I will miss him for the laughter he brings to our office, the jokes and sarcasm and smiles that are often abundant. And I will miss him for the many deeper conversations that were peppered over the past two years, about our spiritual beliefs and questions, our families, our ideals, our hopes.

Steve, if you're reading this, know that I'm excited for this next step for you. I have no doubt it has all come about by the hand of God, and I have no doubt He will use you to change lives in this next job (including yours). You are missed already.

My prayer for you, brother --

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the believers, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:14-20

The Big Apple

Thursday morning, along with my boss, I headed to New York for a consortium event which Tufts (a.k.a. my boss and I) coordinated this year.  I was excited about being in the city but not so excited about the traveling.  Thursday turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  Robin and I took the Acela Amtrak train to New York -- boarded at 9:20AM in Back Bay and pulled into Penn Station around 12:30PM.  The train was spacious, quick, comfortable, had little waiting, and required no obsessive security measures; I was singing its praises.

(view from my hotel room window)

After arriving in the Big Apple, checking in at the Crowne Plaza near Times Square (what a location!), and a quick rendez vouz with our conference organizer, Robin and I grabbed lunch at a cute little French restaurant (the food was so-so) and took advantage of our only free minutes by walking to Central Park (pictures below).  Of course we had to name all the movies we could thank of which have scenes in Central Park!  Lots and lots of girly movies were named. :)

(Times Square as seen from the entrance to our hotel)

The event itself went well.  We wrapped up Friday evening and caught our 7PM train back home to Boston from Penn Station.  Somehow the 10:40PM arrival into South Station didn't quite work out as planned, and I didn't get back home until THREE A.M.!  It's actually a really sad story.  About 20-30 minutes after the train left Penn Station, a rail worker was struck by a train on our line and killed, consequently shutting down all train service through that area.  That delayed our train by a couple hours.  Then it was slow going for the next hour as the lines were backed up quite a bit.

Finally around 1AM we made it to the stop 30 minutes south of downtown Boston -- the end was in sight!  BUT when the train was trying to leave the station, the engines wouldn't start.  After an hour of waiting (it was now 2AM), Robin and I decided we would get off the train and try to call a cab.  We both started calling numbers (along with 20-30 other exhausted ex-passengers in the station), and no one was available.  A young lady walked into the station and said, "Is anyone going to Somerville? I have room for three."  Robin and I both ran forward and said, "Somerville's close enough."  Next thing we knew, we were riding in the back of a stranger's car at 2AM and laughing about the entire circumstance and how our friends and family would react.  Our new "friends" dropped us off at Harvard Square, we caught a cab to Tufts, and Robin dropped me off at home at 3AM.

"What do I think of traveling by train now?" you ask.  Give me a few months, and maybe I'll have gotten over this exhaustion.  I was on that train so long I could've flown to Europe by the time we made it to Boston!

Where did my vacation go?

This week has been somewhat of a cruel awakening to life back at work.  I did work last Monday through Wednesday, but the deadlines weren't as pressing last week.  I would love to simply veg now that I'm home, curl up with a book and some hot cocoa for the rest of the evening, but I'm making myself blog.  It has been way too long.

Holiday Highlights:

• Hugging Dad and Mom after ten long months apart  (It was so difficult to say goodbye again.)
• Hanging out with Drew and Carrie
• Honoring family - reconnecting with grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins in Kansas
• Hoping in Christ for the future and looking back with thankfulness
• Hilarious wii fun with the fam
• Holding a gun and shooting skeet in Kansas (Greg, not me)
• Having jobs that are seemingly secure

My dearest parents and their lab Abby

The cat Reyna getting some much needed attention. (Drew and Carrie brought their two labs as well, so three big dogs in the house was a little much for this cat!)

The Wiles family gathered to let the missing Uncle and cousins know we missed them

Grandma Gimple opening some gifts.

Uncle Larry (one of Dad's brothers) helping Greg with his first shot.

Drew looks like he belongs here, doesn't he?

Carrie and I cheered the guys on. The guns were a lot heavier than I expected!

Modeling a box of shells (?)

This is really behind my Grandma's house, where my Dad was raised!

Back home to our still-standing tree and mischievous cat