white christmas

One reason I love Michigan is for the snow at Christmas. I could not imagine having no snow at Christmas time. And right now we've "battened down the hatches" as we get dumped on with about 6 to 8 inches of lake effect snow. (gotta love Lake Michigan!) It's blowing & drifting--making it treacherous for driving, but perfect for staying cozied in the house under a blanket in front of the Christmas tree. It will officially be a white Christmas here--one of my most favorite things this time of year!

christmas traditions

I don't know how long this link will hold out, but I found it kind of a fun little read for this Christmas season. Charlie Brown Christmas is one of my most favorite programs to watch. My favorite part is when they are all dancing to the piano music--the cartoon graphics crack me up!


And, you can't help but love it when they all break into a rendition of "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!" at the top of their lungs.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, CHARLIE BROWN!! :)

christmas card

So, this year, being it our first Christmas as a married couple (and family) we thought we would send out Christmas cards to friends and family. However, first we needed the perfect picture...so we went for a photo shoot in my mom's backyard. A good time was had by all! ;)

christmas chuckle

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeers grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeers retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.

Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.

We should've known... ONLY women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost. ;)

*sigh*

At about 8:00pm last night, I began to breathe again! This past week has been so incredibly busy, I wouldn’t even know where to begin relating everything that has been going on! Work has been busy, but I’ve also been at my second “job”—i.e. church—every night this week as well. Our Christmas program begins tonight and we’ve been diligently rehearsing (and memorizing!) the ten songs that are in the program. In addition, I took my final exam in statistics last night.

It is not something I would recommend to anyone trying to be effective in life. Cramming your head full of nursing skills, song lyrics & music, and graduate level statistics information leaves you with a messy house, a neglected dog, and with an overall grumpiness with your husband. ;-)

Therefore, after the exam last night—I seriously felt as though one huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I slept well last night, am thrilled it’s almost the weekend, and am now feeling excited for Christmas. I’m excited to clean, walk the dog, relax, and have fun with my husband!

babies, babies everywhere!

So, babies are being born! It’s like a small parade of them. I really am so excited—and doubly excited for Facebook as I feel like I can have a little peek at watching them grow up as they are spread out across the nation. (See my June 4, 2007 post)

First, we had Braydon Scott who is in Colorado and is now getting cuter by the second according to his pictures! Then, there was Jordan Christopher, who I’m fortunate enough to have “available” to me right here in Michigan. Then, Derek Robert was born in Oregon to my good friends out there. And lastly (for awhile anyway) is Noah David who should be born any day now to friends in California. Yeah!

When I last touched on my thoughts on the “marathon of life” I was feeling like maybe I was a little behind. Well, since then I have gotten married and therefore may be more “caught up” in this race—but I tell you what: I am currently very happy with my pace. I’m thrilled for my friends—as being a parent is probably one of the God’s highest callings, one that I would hope He does even call me to someday—but for now, I LOVE being married and creating a home with (just) my husband. Oh, and having a large dog in your home who thinks he is your baby, can at times probably be just as demanding as having a child. ;)

Advent

It’s that time of year—one of my most favorite times of year! In the Christian church, it is referred to as Advent. At my house, it’s the time of year I can finally listen to Christmas music without getting an eye roll. ;) Over the weekend, I pulled out my Christmas decorations—one of which is an Advent wreath. I grew up with this tradition, of lighting a candle each of the four Sundays prior to Christmas, and then the final candle on Christmas Day. So, I was caught a bit off guard when Jason asked me to explain the Advent tradition and it’s meaning.

Hmmmmm…well…

Honestly, I have to admit I was stumped. So I brought it up in conversation with several friends and family this weekend: what exactly is Advent? What do each of the candles represent? Surprisingly enough, no one I asked could explain it in full detail. My parents actually even remember not having the tradition when they were growing up, it was more or less “recognized” into the Protestant (or maybe just Christian Reformed) traditions about the time they were married thirty-five years ago.

So, I did some investigation. Here is a summary of what I learned and what I feel really kind of clarifies what Advent is:

Advent (from the Latin word advenio, meaning “to come”or “the coming of Christ our saviour”) is a holy season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ. Christians also believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure as they await the second coming of Jesus. An Advent wreath is made from greens to symbolize continuous life and contains four candles— three purple and one rose. The candle lighting is progressive from week to week, preparing the way for the coming of Jesus. The first Sunday is Hope, then Peace, the third is the pink candle representing Joy, and the fourth is Love. The wreath also has a center white candle that is then lit on Christmas Day to represent the light of Christ.

Jason & I lit our first candle yesterday and did a devotion. I’m so excited to be able to now fully verbalize what Advent is and begin this tradition with my family. May God continue to teach us new ways to honor and worship Him!