Happy New Year -2009-

Our holiday's were spent enjoying the company of family, who are also our friends, and we feel truly blessed. Having that is better than any present!
We enjoyed our special meeting visits with Shannon Meyer, Audrey Fuller and Ani. Our special meeting was on New Year's eve, but Jeff and I didn't get to go as we went to Jeff's sister's wedding at 7:00 that evening. My folks went and took the kids though, so at least some of us got to have the privilege!
We spent Christmas Eve at Jeff's dad and stepmothers house. Nice to see family that we don't often get together with. On Christmas morning, we had a Brunch at our house with all of Jeff's family that live close here. It was the first time we had done a brunch but I don't think it will be the last.....it was very nice and everyone contributed something, so it wasn't too stressful for anyone. I discovered that there are some very tasty breakfast casseroles out there....yummy!! Later in the day those of us who didn't have to go to work (there are a couple of nurses in the family and our patients don't go home for the holidays!) went over to Jeff's brother, David's, for a more formal Christmas meal. So, needless to say, we were well fed that day! We also have two Christmas birthdays in the family (Jeff's Uncle Bill and his cousin's son, Weston) so we celebrated those that day as well.
My parents came out to visit us on Dec 30 and stayed through Jan 4, so that was our New Year's treat! My dad and Jeff started working to finish our basement. I am SO excited because I am finally getting a scrapbooking room! Which means I can clean out my upstairs of all the clutter (only a fellow scrapbooker would understand all the gadgets and gizmo's that you collect). We are also putting in a second room that we will use for storage, but could be a bedroom if needed, and another room for our freezers. Eventually we would like to finish the other side and have a family room down there also.
We've had some minor sickness over the holidays but I think everyone is on the mend.

2009 is here, ready or not! There are a lot of uncertainties with all that is going on in our country as well as in the world as a whole, but we are glad to have the assurance that we serve a living God and He is on the throne. So, for me, I want to go forward with greater faith and leave it in His hands. Someone mentioned that instead of being worried about the outcome of the recent political election (which I've been guilty of), that we should be concerned with our own election and in keeping our "calling and election sure".....that this is the election that God is most concerned with. I need to remember this as we go into this New Year. I hope all of you had great holidays and are enjoying the start of a great year!