Happy New Year!

     Where have I been you might be asking?  Or maybe you're not, either way I'll tell you.  We went on a vacation!  Well a mini break, type, thing.  My husband finally was able to take some time off for nothing at all.  We could just do whatever we wanted.  We went to the big O-town and had some fun there.  We got to stay in a nice hotel courtesy of the state employee discount, and we got to just spend time as a family.  It's been a long time since we could, and was very much needed.  We also got to see some old friends of my husband's and I guess that would make them my friends too, huh? We also got to go see the big tree at Durham and ride in a carriage in the Old Market.  Or as my daughter put it, "Horsey car!"  The only bummer was that the little man got sick the last night and we had to leave early, then my husband came down with it and then my daughter did on New Year's Eve.  That was a bummer since I have always loved New Year's Eve.  So we stayed home and watched a very old Dick Clark on the Rockin' New Year's Eve.  Which really could have been missed but what else do you do when you're sick and have no cable or movies at your disposal?  That and we ordered spicy Chinese food to try and burn the sickness out of us.  But that must have not worked cuz the little princess was worse this morning and I felt like there was a ball of fire in my stomach the rest of the night.
     But since they were sick, the kids went to bed early and I had the evening with my husband which is a rare treat.  We accidentally missed the New Year cuz our clock was a little slow.  We heard fireworks going on outside and realized we'd missed it so I ran and filled our glasses with the sparkling grape juice.  Romantic, I know.  Today we had to miss my family's Christmas, which made me sad and I think my husband was a little down about it too.  But we know that sometimes life happens to the best laid plans, and so I won't wallow in my disappointment : )
     My husband and I made some resolutions for this next year after we toasted with our grape juice last night.  We came to the conclusion that we wanted to do more for Jesus this year, and that we wanted to find ways to really give our lives to His service.  We have had a hard time finding our place since we've been married, and we want so badly to find our niche somewhere in a ministry.  So those of you who want to, please pray for us in the new year.  And please, you can send me or tell me something that you need prayer for because that is also another one of my resolutions.  Be more prayerful, talk to Jesus more.
      So Happy New Year to all of you who may read this and may Christ bless you and become ever more real in your lives.  Maybe your new year came in with fun and excitement or maybe you stayed home with a bunch of sickies and grape juice.  Either way I pray that all of you may live your lives for Him and draw on the love and strength that only He can give in the coming days.

Living area in our hotel

The big Christmas tree!

 
                                  

In the teepee