I have not disappeared from blog land (thanks for the emails of inquiry)!

Similar to many of you, this month boasts of activity and more hustle bustle than other seasons.  I attempted to simplify it all (and we somewhat did), but this December was altogether different — it was best to ‘go with the flow’!

Before I pause again for Christmas week, just a few photos from our month of celebration:

::  December started right off with a birthday – now we have an 8-yr old in the house!  Funny story: our children can choose any meal they would like for their birthday celebration dinner – of all things, this boy picked chili and cornbread.  Chili! 🙂  Love his practicality. 

::  Snow 3x in one week made for motivation to finish school work, and get outdoors!

::  Solos and Christmas concerts for our 10th and 2nd graders!  My little guy was bumped up to the 4th-6th grade choir this year, and was a bit stressed leading up to the concert — he did wonderfully though with the percussion, and big sister belted a beautiful alto solo.

The next day we were off to – GRADUATION!

::  To say we are proud of this man is an understatement!  There were shrieks of celebration when he passed the dissertation defense, and more cheering as he crossed the podium.  

Whew.  We made it – he did it!  Five years of classes, research and writing, of growing tired in the process yet persevering anyway, and then a mad dash to the end.

Now we move forward…there’s been some dreaming and planning waiting on this milestone to be completed.

Just one more pic from the day:

::  I love this photo.  I call it the Dr. Daddy picture (he was moving the carseat from one vehicle to the other); it exemplifies so much of what I appreciated about the process.  In those 5 years of study, he didn’t lose sight of being Dad and husband.

Oh yes, there were huge sacrifices of our time, our energy, and plenty of late nights for him.  But family priorities weren’t sidetracked for the pursuit of a dream.

On more than one occasion, he adjusted the pace of study in order to accommodate a need in our family  — and I’m incredibly grateful.

I wanted to be sure to publish my appreciation here (though I’ve told him numerous times in person).

Thank you hon — we’re so blessed by you.

{views of Christmas trees outside & inside}

There was also a BIG celebration banquet with our church family (all in the same weekend as the concert & graduation :)).  The photos I did take are missing (small panic), and I’m slowly collecting a few from others.

We’ve been pastoring our congregation for 10 years, and paused all together to say THANK YOU to our God.  For it’s His faithfulness and grace which has led each step of the way.

What an honor to partner with this God and this group of people!

::

So you see?  There’s been one party after the other around here.

Yet our focus celebration this month remains remembering our Lord’s coming.  Our week ahead is quiet, still and reflective as we give praise for the greatest gift of all.

May your family be blessed as well.

I’ll be back next week…

Merry Christmas