A few of my favorite things

Yesterday I had one of Wendy's famous happy-thoughts teas (yes, I still have a few left!). It was a Mixed Berry tea, and the happy thought was: "Snowflakes that stay on your nose and eyelashes." Which is awesome, because earlier this week I got to experience the cold, tickling joy of snowflakes actually doing that. It reminded me of a song I've heard before, and that was only the beginning...

Later last evening, Hannah and I went out to buy wrapping paper, and heard the honking of a massive flock of geese flying low overhead... shall we say, "Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings"?

When we got home from the store, Jo Lien presented to me a little brown paper package with a sweet Christmas ornament gift inside.

No crisp apple strudels, but Hannah's family sent us blondies and hot chocolate which we thoroughly enjoyed last night while watching one of our favorite movies, Ever After. What a great day!

Packing up today for a 4-week vacation back home in the South. We leave tomorrow, so please pray for safety on the road and good weather. I'll write again from my little Lothlorien room at home... Until then, simply remember your favorite things!

Youth love and hugs

Last night was our last youth night for the semester. We gave the kids "Youth Night" t-shirts, and we wrote them personal letters to let them know how much we love them. We did have a Hungry Hippos tournament in the basement, and we played a new version of the mousetrap game, and of course the kids did some homework too... but there seemed to be a special, sweet spirit about the evening. Everyone got along, I don't think there were any fights, and the kids and volunteers played the games together in teams.

Usually, the end of the evening is the most chaotic, trying to corral everyone onto the van with their bags and coats and shoes... once I wave good-bye, I give a big exhausted sigh. But last night, we got all the kids in the living room to give them their gifts, then Jared said, "Ok, everyone on the van!" - and no one moved! It was a beautiful picture, everyone sitting around with their gifts and talking and happy. It hit me that I won't see any of them for four weeks, and suddenly I didn't want to press them to leave... I wanted them to stay!

When they finally got moving, I got a dozen hugs from the kids. Problem was that my body had been really tired and weak all evening, and I couldn't lift my arms to hug them back. I hate when that happens, because I absolutely love giving and getting hugs. But all I could do last night was receive their love. 

I hope they know that I really love them too. I hope they feel Love when they are here with us. Pray that they do, and that they hang on to that Love over the Christmas break.

Busy busy snow weekend!

It is still snowing here in Fort Wayne, and I am still refusing to buy myself a brush and scraper for my car! Hannah and I are surviving on hot tea and lots o' love! Here's what we did this weekend...

Big Christmas mailing for I-House - about 600 envelopes!

My Sunday ESL assistants illustrated the Christmas story as I taught.

Sunday School ESL Christmas party - a huge success!
Lots of food and music and good conversation



Hannah's beautiful lattice-work crust on her homemade apple pie



Point of Grace Christmas concert - doing "Candy Cane Lane"

At the POG concert, Hannah and I got to
write a note in the front of a Bible that will be sent
to a US soldier who is overseas -
a project called "A Soldier's Hope"