always and for everything

...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...

Ephesians 5:20

He's going to nursing school!
(all good sisters make
their brothers take awkward
pictures with a Christmas tree)

721. I'm going back to Haiti in 44 days!!!!!  Back to Haiti!  In 44 days!  Hurray!!!!!!
722. Spending St. Lucia's Day with my Texas family.
723. Getting to visit with Faith and baby Logan.
724. Movie night with Brian, Emily, and Aja.
725. Paul got into the nursing program!
726. HEARTLINE WON THE 50K GRANT FROM GIVING OF LIFE!!!!!!!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who voted!
727. A kind and generous offer.
728. A week of much laughter.
729. Watching this fabulous movie with Aja.
730. Mod-podge and hot glue guns.  Seriously.  How did I live 26 years without them?

In other news, you should definitely click here to watch the most adorable reenactment of the Christmas story ever.

St. Lucia's Day!

Jubilee was excited that Paul and I
finally showed up --
time to start the gift exchange!

Growing up, my only exposure to St. Lucia's Day was from this book (hurray for American Girl!); it wasn't a part of my family's Christmas traditions.  There was one year when I, inspired by Kirsten, dressed up in a white dress, wore a wreath on my head with battery-operated candles, and delivered cinnamon rolls to the rest of my family, but I don't think that was actually even on St. Lucia's Day; it probably was on Christmas morning.  I think I was 8 at the time.

my gift from Jube -- cute socks!

It wasn't until I moved to Texas and started celebrating holidays with my Texas family* that St. Lucia's Day actually became significant to me.  My "cousin" Everly does a fantastic job of describing her family's St. Lucia's Day traditions here. Yesterday was my third St. Lucia's Day at Eyrie Park, and I think it was my favorite yet.  It was so nice to have a whole day dedicated to spending time with family and just enjoying each others' company, [mostly] without the time constraints of "normal" activities (though Paul, unfortunately, had to go to school and take an exam after the festivities wound down).  It's also nice to have a good portion of my Christmas gifts completed and given now, since my Texas family does their sibling gift exchange on St. Lucia's Day (so with their 8 kids, one in-law, and my brother, I have successfully made and given out 10 gifts thus far)!

Thoroughly amused (or in some cases, creeped out)
by one of Willin's gifts

the adorable newlyweds, Sabrina and Donovan

Samuel, practicing his Heisman pose

love these people!

Donovan and Willin

*Long story short, I met my "Texas family" in Haiti at the end of 2004 at the orphanage from which both of our families were working on adopting kids.  I lived there with them for several months in 2005, and we pretty much adopted each other as family.  Additionally, their oldest adopted daughter is the biological cousin of one of my adopted sisters.  So we're family, see?  And they're pretty much why both Paul and I moved to Texas in 2009.

this morning, I am thankful

I am guilty but pardoned

By grace I've been set free

I am ransomed through the blood

You shed for me

I was dead in my transgressions

But life You brought to me

I am reconciled through mercy

To the cross I cling

"To the Cross" - Matt Boswell and Michael Bleecker

711. Utterly unmerited grace and mercy.  Forgiveness.  Second (third, fourth, etc) chances.  Hope.  Such churchy words, but such amazing truths.
712. Christmas party at Donovan and Sabrina's!

Donovan and Sabrina

713. We had our much anticipated/dreaded QASA audit (think health department audit then multiply it by a bajillion) during one of my shifts last week...and we did really well!!!
714. Dinner with Julie and Sarah at Cafe Capri; such good food!
715. Going to see a sneak peek of We Bought A Zoo; looooooved it!
716. Pinterest-inspired crafting!
717. At the end of a rough day, coming across this reminder of why it's worth loving life.
718. Homemade peppermint patties.
719. My calendar for 2012, featuring photos from my most recent trip to Haiti.
720. Haiti-withdrawal.  Much as I hate it (as in, I'd obviously really rather just be in Haiti rather than be so seriously missing Christina, the other kids at Notre Maison, and everyone at Heartline), I'm thankful that Haiti isn't "out of sight, out of mind" as can so easily happen when life here in the States gets so hectic.  Thankful for the constant reminders to pray for these people and places I love.  (Though I may or may not be price-checking airfare every day...)

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget

that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,

but to live by them.

- John F. Kennedy

steadfast and faithful

For great is his steadfast love toward us,
   and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 117:2

Steadfast love...ever-enduring faithfulness...  Meditating on these amazing, indescribable truths today, and counting just a few of the many blessings He's given me:

691. Dinner and a movie with Julie and Sarah; so grateful for the gift of their friendship.
692. Getting to spend time with Meg while packing boxes.
693. Getting to catch up a bit with Joe, a.k.a. my favorite pseudo-brother-in-law :)
694. Several cooking experiments that turned out rather tasty (and actually, the fact that I cooked as much as I did this past week makes me happy, since it's been awhile since I've had time/motivation to do much in the kitchen).
695. Getting Christmas cards in the mail!
696. Visiting with Michelle during the fellowship meal at church.

697. Lunch with Paul at one of my favorite restaurants.
698. Having today off, making it at least slightly less ridiculous that I was up until 2am last night hurrying to finish an online Christmas present so that I could purchase it before the deal expired (made it with about 30 seconds to spare!).
699. Finding out about this ministry (which seems to be similar to Heartline's Harbor House, but in Kenya) due to random blog-reading and then taking advantage of their Cyber Monday deal to buy some awesome coasters and earrings.  Love, love, love supporting great causes!
700. [Hopefully] making more homemade Christmas gifts this year.  Though I am not a naturally crafty person, thanks to the wonderfulness which is Pinterest, I will be using the inspirations and tutorials I've found there to make a lot of the gifts I'll be giving this year.  Here's to hoping this will be a fun process (rather than frustrating due to my lack of natural craft-talent!)  :)

A bit of perspective

Drama, drama, drama.  Oh how I hate it.  Real-life drama, that is.  Literary and theatrical drama I'm all for. Just not so big a fan of dealing with it on a day-to-day basis.  But I guess that's life, huh.

And really, as I sit here thinking about the drama that currently is frustrating the heck out me, it seems (and is) so minor when compared with what so many others I know are currently facing--a father being diagnosed with brain cancer, a mother fighting to complete an adoption so that she can finally bring her daughter home, a newly married couple struggling to find jobs, a young pregnant woman finding out she's HIV-positive...  Suddenly, the drama going on around me seems so insignificant.  I am so blessed, in so many ways, by so many people and so many things.  I need to remember this.  I need to choose to be thankful, regardless of circumstances.

So tonight, though it's Thursday rather than Monday, I'm going to continue my gratitude list with blessings that I specifically encountered today:

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

(Johnson Oatman Jr.)

681. An opportunity to talk to my pastor and to be encouraged.
682. Being able to connect with two different people today that may lead to potential learning/job opportunities in the future.
683. The gift of being able to share some of the things that the Lord has taught me over the past several years of this-is-not-how-I-planned-my-life with a friend who is making some potentially life-changing decisions.
684. Making a tentative countdown for my return to Haiti (though really, I don't know yet if I'll get to go at this time or not).  Still, having a number (61 days!), as uncertain as it is, somehow makes me feel a little better than just having a vague plan to return "soon".  That probably only makes sense in my mind.  Humor me :)
685. Pizza Hut for dinner (because...I really need to go to the grocery store. But I was too tired to go today.)
686. Being able to take a nap this afternoon.  Much needed, since for whatever reason, I could not sleep last night.
687. Living with this brother who keeps me laughing.
688. The reminder that Jesus is...and I am His.
689. My newly rearranged and cleaned room.  I am strange in that I get antsy if I don't move altogether or at least rearrange furniture every 6-8 months.  Even as a child I was always reorganizing my room... Psychologists probably have some fancy term for this, but you can just call me weird.  Moving on...
690. Perspective.  Amazing how much better I feel when I focus on what the Lord is doing/has given me rather than complaining!  Now may I remember this tomorrow...and the next day...and the next!