Happy New Year!

"You crown the year with Your goodness." Psalm 65:11

Happy 2009! I hope you have had a wonderful week celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, gathering with family and friends, and now welcoming in a brand new year. This is always such a special time for us, as we have not only many family gatherings during this time, but also our anniversary on the 27th. This time of year always brings with it such a range of emotions... not just Christmas memories, but also nervous-bride and newlywed ones as well! It's been a great week and a wonderful holiday for us.

Of course, we were able to see it through new eyes this year with Minte here. He has loved every bit of Christmas and all that it entailed. He eagerly awaited Santa Claus, but also reverently and prayerfully reflected on the birth of Christ and loved lighting the advent candles each night. Having him with us was something I couldn't even have imagined a year ago, as we had just started the adoption process just before Christmas last year. It was such an Ephesians 3:20-21 answer to prayer that he was here with us by this Christmas... beyond what we could've asked or imagined!

Here is our tree... that poor thing. Each year we end up decorating it with party hats and streamers for New Year's. Last night the party poppers were aimed at it so the streamers would land on it. We went for real trees this year, so it's all dried out and bedecked with paper streamers. Not a fire hazard at all, I'm sure. ;) Ethiopian Christmas is next Wednesday, January 7th. Last year we left our tree up until then, but it was our artificial one. This year, I'm not sure we can make it that long! One thing I like to do, though, when we get a real tree is to save the top of it when we take it down, and use it for an Easter tree. There's something so meaningful to me about decorating an old, dead, dry piece of wood for Easter... something that was so alive at Christmas. But, that's another post, I guess.

So... today it's bowl games, chili, cheese dip, black bean dip, black eyed peas, toll house cookie pie, Wii games, naps, catching up on blogging and a bit of email, and looking forward to the year ahead. Tomorrow and the weekend will be filled with housework, lesson planning, and putting away Christmas. I pray you are having a great day and are enjoying all that comes with a fresh start and a new year!