** If the music is distracting you can scroll to the bottom and hit pause - but the first 2 songs are my current favorite worship songs...**
I was able to go home to Idaho for the holidays and spend time with family, friends, and supporters. I was SO TIRED after 3 weeks of rushing around trying to see everyone, but I was also so happy to be with loved ones. My closest friends are still in Idaho and I loved being next to people instead of just talking to them on the phone! If I didn't get to see you this time I am sorry - but the good news is that I will be home again next Christmas! Here are some picture highlights:
In the picture: Grandpa, Dad, Me, Aunt Sherry, Uncle Ray. I spent 4 days in Yuma, Arizona visiting my aunt and uncle. We went to a museum with antique farm equipment and restored cars. There was a lot of stuff there! As we walked around dad kept saying "Hey! We had one of these! I wonder where it is??" I guess "antique" farm equiment does not mean "retired" farm equipment. Some of the stuff we are still using!
While we were in Arizona we drove around to look at Christmas lights and came upon this snowman. Someone had spray painted tumble weeds - a creative solution to an Arizona problem. :-)
In this picture: Wayne, Alice, Sarah (21), Matthew (23), and Megan (27). This year Sarah didn't get to come home for Christmas - we were all so sad!! It was the first year that we weren't all there - who would have thought that the baby would be the first one to not come home? (Don't tell her I called her the baby.)
So Matthew made a life-size poster of her and we carried her around with us for the holidays. We took her to church, the family Christmas party, the gym, out to lunch at Burgers, etc, to her old job, and anywhere else we went. We had everybody sign her and take a picture with her and then we mailed the poster and pictures to her in Florida (where she is doing really good at a Parelli horsemanship externship). So this family picture is going to go in a frame in my apartment as the 2010 family picture. :-)
Sarah's never loved kids quite like I do .... but this Christmas she decided kids were alright! She had a smile on her face for the whole holiday! (yup, we spent a week saying tacky stuff like that ... and yes, we thoroughly enjoyed our antics and thought we were just so clever!)
In this picture: Grandpa Rich, Uncle Alvin, Aunt Clara, Aunt Ardena. Every year at the family Christmas party the great aunts and unlces sing Christmas carols in German. Correction: Aunt Clara and Aunt Ardena sing and the guys hum along and smile. It was suggest by a member of the quartet that perhaps they should practice during 2010, singing in German once a year just doesn't seem to be quite often enough. :-)
In this picture: Megan and Ilise. So, what had happened was Ilise and I looked like right hot nuts on the last chance we had to take a picture together for the frame for 2010 .... and since Ilise had just taken me to get a pedicure I thought this would make a great picture. :-) I saw so many close friends while I was home and I am so thankful for the people that God has given to me! They encourage, uplift, inspire and challenge me - and I am a better person for them! Thank you!!
