our little corner of the world

Merry Christmas to my family across the miles!

Yesterday, Christmas Eve, was a hard day for me. With all of the anticipation of Christmas and time with family, I swallowed hard knowing that I would have to wait a whole week to get my turn. Scott's family party was last night, and his immediate family party is today.

I also learned yesterday that every single member of my family was now celebrating Christmas Eve separately. Joel decided to stay with Kelsey and her family. The change in plans left my parents alone. My grandma's plans were altered. She was alone. Sarah and Doug left Florida this morning. But they are headed straight to his family. And then us. I was missing my own family last night and the traditions that I hold dear.

To get some sort of perspective and put my heart and mind into the true meaning of Christmas, I announced that we would be attending 11:00 p.m. church last night instead of going this morning. I needed that. I needed to go to sleep at the end of the day, anticipating the real celebration. And besides, skipping church on Christmas Eve felt so... sad. I was longing to have something of my family. And this was as close as I could get.

The tears started as soon as the lights were dimmed and the strings, organ and choir began our opening hymn "O, Come All Ye Faithful". Morgan was nuzzled into my neck as Scott was standing by my side. It was beautiful, and I couldn't help but think of each person in my family, across the miles... how did they celebrate Christmas Eve? I knew they all had gone to church. And now it was my turn.

By the end of the service, I realized that we, my family, were all assembled under the same sky, under the same stars and worshipping the same Jesus. And as hard as it was to accept being apart, I knew that in our little corner of the world, we were celebrating the birth of the Christ child, which is the greatest joy.

So today, as we still are apart, know that I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I can't wait to see you. Merry Christmas.

Over the last week, we've had three different snow systems move through our area. It's been quite exciting, actually. I enjoy the driving adventures, getting out to shovel, and of course, the anticipation of a white Christmas.

Growing up as a west-sider, however, this accumulation is nothing. I suppose if you've lived over here your whole life, you have a different perspective, but for me... this is barely a drop in the bucket. And just to prove my point, here's a picture my dad sent today looking out at my parents' backyard. Now this, THIS, is snow!




On Friday (the day the "blizzard" ended), Scott came home from work early, which gave him a chance to clear the driveway and sidewalks before dark. Morgan watched Daddy from the window and kept asking for her "haht, mittens, oat." So we went outside for the whole five minutes that she lasted.








Later that night, we went to dinner with friends and then came back to play Nintendo Wii (theirs, not ours). Although my Wii Fit Age is 42, I am happy to report that my Body Mass Index is healthy and average! Plus, I rule at downhill skiing. Scott... not so much.






Scott insisted taking this picture, just for my family.



There's more white stuff predicted for Christmas Eve! Let it snow.

I'm not sure if this household will ever consider getting an artifical tree for Christmas (edit by Scott: And when she says 'household' she means her!). But it seems every year, we do have a discussion about where, how and when we'll manage to aquire a real, live Christmas tree.

In the past, chopping (or sawing) down our Blue Spruce was an adventure. But at $38, the sharpness of the needles seemed brutal this year. The half-hour drive and time crunch were also weighing on us.

So what did we do? Picked up a soft and inexpensive Balsam Fir at the Men's Mall. Yup. Took the five minute drive to the Garden Center, walked in, snapped pictures, and walked out with our small, budget tree. (Even a first-grader commented, "Your tree is small.")

It's not quite the same. But it does smell fantastic. And the size is actually helpful now that our living room has become home to toddler toys. The shape is nearly perfect, too. What more could we ask for?

Several years ago I was a resident of Lansing. I had landed what I considered to be my first "real" full-time, full-benefit job after college. However, it didn't take long for me to realize I was unhappy. I had a strong dislike for my boss and no real roots in that city to keep me grounded. After three short months I was searching for a new job!

But as the months turned into years, I found myself asking God, "How many resumes will it take before I get my ticket out of here?" I felt trapped.

In January of 2004, my little brother by seven years, Joel, transferred to Michigan State University in East Lansing, just 25 minutes from my west-side apartment. He arrived as a transfer student mid-year and was filled with trepidation as he was joining an already established group of guys in the dorm. His anxiety was quite high, and it was clear that his uneasiness about the whole situation was overtaking him. How badly I had wanted to hold his hand for the entirety of the upcoming semester.

I'm not sure if my constant verbal reassurance ever did anything for Joel. We'd meet up to hit balls at the MSU driving range, or grab groceries at Meijer. But he was still cautious. As the end of the semester approached it seemed Joel was doing well.

That summer, Scott and I were married. I left my job. And Joel left behind his worries. He came back to MSU that fall as someone more knowledgeable about campus and classes, and his network of friendships was building. He had left the nest and was actually flying.

It's apparent to me now why I was stuck for so long in that job I despised. God was weaving a plan together that I had no foresight about. The answer to my prayer had been "wait" and while I was growing impatient, God was busy bringing Joel out of high school and into a large, University environment where he needed just a tiny bit of encouragement from his sister down the road.

Five years and two degrees later, Joel graduated from MSU. Yesterday we made the journey to be a part of his commencement ceremony. We looked on with my parents, my grandma and Joel's Kelsey into a sea of green.

What a long way my brother has come. While his head has been filled with knowledge, I feel like his personality has been filled with confidence. As a socialite among close friends and family, Joel has always been a star, but now, even in situations full of unknowns and strangers, I know he will truly shine.

Congrats again, Joely! We love you!

Did you take a second glance at the address line? No, you're not seeing things. The blog has gotten a facelift. After three years of the same, I thought it was time for a change, as slight as it may be.

In my search for new blog templates, I've been especially partial to those that have a white background. I think photos stand out on white in a way that no other color can match. And the masthead... well... plain and simple. Like us.

I've been working hard to tweak the template, and while I've been able to make some minor changes, there are some thing that have me stumped. For example, I miss having the date under the post title, instead of it's new home at the bottom of each post. Nonetheless, I like the look. And hope that you do, too.

Enjoy the newness!