Happy New Year!

Okay, really.... I am terrible at this blogging thing but I am determined to do better... A dear sister told me that blogging is a great way to journal our lives. Well, better late than never. Our lives have been a whirlwind since coming home from Ethiopia. We sold our home in September and made several offers on houses and waited and waited on the Lord. So I sit writing this blog from our new home- that in all of God's provision He provided in just the right time. We closed on our old house on the 14th of December, and closed on some land, that we have wanted to sell since we got married, on December 16th and then closed on our new home on December 18th- one week before Christmas. It wasn't the house we waited and waited on... God kept shutting that door. But the door He opened is blessed. We all love our new home. It worked out that we got to spend 2 nights in our new home before Austin left to spend 10 days in Seattle. I love the Lord's timing..... lol.... now that we are through it. We had so much help moving, my brother and sister-in-law, my father-in-law and a ton of our college kids pitched in to help... We were completely out of our old house (-outside stuff) and into our new house within 24 hours... It was amazing... I am so thankful....
The year 2009 brought so many changes to our lives, and strengthened our faith because we had to completely lean on the Lord. We have gone through major transitions and I am praying for a calmer year for 2010 so that we can adjust, as a family, to all of the changes. But looking back, I can't believe where we started almost a year ago and how God provided for all of our needs and even some desires in just the right time and in a way that was far more than we could have ever imagined. It doesn't seem like a year ago that we began to pray about bringing Muluken and Gifte home and how God moved mountains to allow that to happen. Hmmmmmmmmm- His ways our definitely not our ways. I am just in awe at what a year it has been.

Christmas was fabulous- well except for our tree. Picking out just the right tree and a rather large one, is an event in our family. I was so excited to do this with Muluken and Gifte this year. Since we moved so late, the trees were all gone when we went to get one. So we got a little, bitty Charlie Brown tree. It took one small strand of lights to decorate it. I was crying as I put the lights on the tree- but looking at the faces of my children- they didn't care. Christmas isn't about a tree, or how many strands of lights go on it, or how many pretty ornaments it will hold, Christmas is about Christ and remembering His birth. Focusing on the gift of His life and the gift of our families is what Christmas is about, not all of the seemingly important traditions. Lesson learned Lord, it was a great reminder through a very small, funny looking tree.

We had a big turkey dinner on Christmas Eve and I had lots of help in the kitchen. They had a great time taking turns helping me bake and prepare things. Christmas Day was full of excitement, and we had all the family at our home for lunch. It was fabulous!

My mom and step-dad flew in for a surprise visit from Seattle on the 29th (the day Austin came home). It was the first time for them to meet Muluken and Gifte. We have enjoyed our time with them and have a few more days before they have to return home. We spent New Year's Eve watching the movie, "The Ultimate Gift." It was a great movie. I need to watch it again in order to really think through how to explain the lessons available in it. The calm night was a great end to a great year.... I hope soon God will fill my heart and mind with words to express this past year- as of now, I feel a bit like Mary must have, I am just pondering everything in my heart. Happy New Year to all!!!