Christmas Memories

I am daily taken back with my girls beauty, pictures like these squeeze my heart. They bring so much joy into my life!

Making cookies was almost a daily ritual Christmas week as we made every type of cookie we enjoy having around the holidays! The girls enjoyed the spoils of baking ;)



Novalie did an amazing job helping us bake and decorate cookies, I love how intense she looked while rolling out the dough.

As you can see, Christmas wore Eden out! We kept finding her fast asleep around the house.

Santa Baby

Many of you have asked, "How was your first Christmas in Hungary?"

Looking on past Christmases is a tapestry of memories for me. I remember unwrapping certain gifts and being elated with happiness, I remember candlelit services, bouncing around to all the relatives, tables and tables of food, laughter, joking around, Sunday school fellowships, work parties, being overwhelmed with activities on the calendar and loving every busy moment, excitement, that Christmas tree smell, ridiculous Christmas songs and also the sentimental ones that bring tears to your eyes, those great movies like Rudolf, White Christmas, Home Alone and Christmas Story. In our house it was always Little Women, While You Were Sleeping and Muppet Christmas Carol as well. Lots of time with family and friends.

I kinda felt I had to white the slate clean of everything I knew on celebrating Christmas the way I was used too and the way I grew up celebrating.

Leading up to Christmas (all the pre-holiday weeks after Thanksgiving) was really hard. Where we are located (all my suburban friends) we would call the boondocks. :) No chain stores, malls, gas stations, traffic lights, and around the holidays, no people... it seemed everyone left except us. Everyone had family to visit, traditional places and activities to go to and attend. Andy and I had many moments where it literally felt we were mourning Christmases past and traditions. We each spent some time reminiscing and crying on each others shoulders.

In the States we are used to parties, fellowships, shopping, Christmas displays and lights galore, Cantatas, family, musicals, singing Christmas carols in church, Christmas is everywhere and acknowledged by everyone for the whole month of Dec!

I think the 2 biggest things for us was the distance from family and not being part of a church family. We ached for both and how both have always played such a significant part of the holiday season for us. The warmth, fellowship, sharing about our past year and God's provision and grace, the involvement with activities and sharing laughs.

So leading up to Christmas was a struggle for us both. But we grew together as a family and came up with our own traditions and took the plunge into creativity to get through the season.

But... (I always seem to like when 'but' it mentioned in the Bible) :) we had an AMAZING Christmas day! Christmas Day was such an unexpected, much needed, surprise for us! We did what we wanted to and when we wanted too :) Yes, it was wonderful! I loved spending the day at home with my husband and girls playing, watching Christmas movies, baking cookies, reading about the birth of Baby Jesus, coloring and venturing outside. It was such a sweet, calm and relaxing day full of many precious moments, giggles from the girls, excitement, wonder and awe. I had such a blessed day living Christmas and watching Christmas come alive through Novalie and Eden.

The day began with Eden first waking up and immediately screaming with excitement at the lights on the tree and glistening of wrapped gifts! Which of course woke up Novalie who immediaetly ran out to see if Santa came. We all sat down and began reading the story of the coming of Baby Jesus. Now this is when we realized that from now on the Christmas Story will be read on Christmas Eve when the distraction and temptation of gifts is not mocking the girls in the face. We began reading from Daddy's Bible and then switched to a kid's Bible and by the end of the 3 paragraph, 1 page story Novie had her mitts on a present trying to sneakingly unwrap it.

We started with stockings and that was enough from Eden, we could not get her to unwrap another gift the whole morning she was too busy playing with the gifts from her stocking. Andy and I spent the day laughing, playing and experiencing Christmas through our adorable 18mo. and 3 year old. Which makes for the perfect Christmas!

All that to say this and answer your question ...leading up to Christmas was a struggle but Christmas Day was perfect!

All the Turkeys Give Thanks

The kids table

Novie in her Turkey Day outfit

We tried to get a picture of all the kids...

The insane amount of food and our beautiful plates and place-settings.

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Hungary with many other American and non-American staff members. We had LOTS of leftovers and a glorious time with friends and family.

Fall Festival in MI

While we were in Michigan we spent a family day at a fall festival. We saw apple cidar and donuts being made, got lost in a corn maze, fed animals, played in a huge pile of hay, and went through a hay maze.

Furlough Stop #2 Michigan

From Virginia we headed to Michigan where Andy grew up. So we went from 75 degree weather to 40 degree weather..eeekkk. it was cold with freezing temperatures.

We were able to catch up with everyone! We spent time with grandparents, parents, friends and two of our supporting church families. We squeezed in alot those 6 days we were there!

Furlough Stop #1 Virginia, Sarah's Wedding

The whole reason we were able to make this trip to the States is because my little sister, Sarah got married! So crazy! I was the Matron of Honor and Novie and Eden were the adorable flower girls.

Here are a few pictures from her wedding.

A little of this past month...

I cannot believe a month has flown by since I last updated our blog...sorry family, friends, just give me a moment to wipe away the cobwebs and dust..

Where to begin?!

Andy completed his language classes graduating with High Honors! I am so proud of my husband and praise the Lord for giving him such an incredible opportunity to learn and study the language. I love hearing him speak to our neighbors, and friends in Hungarian. He is doing a great job and is on his way to becoming bilingual!

Which brings us to Andy's new job! As of last month Andy has officially switched roles this year, he was working in the Local Church Ministries Department but because of numerous reasons including his knowledge of the Hungarian language he is now the new Academic Dean for the Bible school. He is in charge of all the guest lecturers, flights and syllabuse translation, translators, tests, correspondance with teachers, grades, running of classes and students who may need help in classes and studying. He is still in charge of the interns and running the intern program (he is a very busy guy!)

Novie's "student" ID picture

This past week was the Opening weekend for the new school year! The class of 2010 is officially in session! Everyone to your seats classes have begun. The RA's have been chosen and dorm rooms assigned.

31 students are currently enrolled from 8 different countries! How exciting to have so many cultures serving the Lord together on one campus.

We have 2 Ugandian students awaiting Visa permission and then they will be on thier way. Keep them in your prayers that all will run smoothly for them to arrive.

Andy was able to share with special music and has been also put in charge of the Ministry Sing Team. He held try-outs and the students are anxiously awaiting for the list to be posted.

We are so excited for this new class of students and all the amazing opportunities the Lord is going to give them this year. Tomorrow all students, as part of their Open Air Evangelism Class, will hit the streets of downtown Budapest and share their faith with eve

ryone they meet. Pray for many to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!

Continue to lift up these students through-out this year as the Lord uses them and molds them to become like Him, that lives will be changed, lost will be saved and that the Lord will be ultimately Glorified!