Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I know we did. I promise I'll get some pictures posted soon. (I'm a little behind, as usual. :-D) My mom's parents were home this year; the last several years they've taken off in their RV for a 3-month-or-so-long vacation. So it was nice to get to celebrate a little with them. After a candlelight Lord's Supper on Christmas Eve at our church, we all headed over to my parents' house to have finger foods and open gifts. On Christmas morning, the boys opened their gifts from Santa as well as some that were mailed to us from out of town family and very dear friends. Then we went to my dad's mom's house for more gifts and to have Christmas dinner. My brother had a very special gift for all of us and we all had to open it at the same time. He had a special announcement to make: he has been accepted into the Navy. We knew he was wanting to sign on as a chaplin, but he had some medical stuff he had to get straightened out first and we didn't know how all of that would work out. Anyway, it's official now. His gift was a uniform armband. He asked us to set it somewhere we could see it and remember to pray for him. He is going to be in the Ft. Worth area for the next three years while he finishes his training and officer's school. When all of his training is complete he will rank as a lieutenant. He doesn't know where he will be stationed after that. It was kind of a bittersweet moment for all of us. We're all very proud of him, but at the same time we will worry about him. He really feels like this is where God wants him to be right now. Please keep Aaron and his wife, Allison, in your prayers. On Sunday, we got together with John's parents and brother and sister-in-law for a third Christmas celebration. The boys were definitely good and spoiled this year!

Now we start another new year. I'm not very good about keeping New Year's Resolutions, so I don't usually make them. I do have a few goals for myself, though:

• to have a deeper relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
• to be a better wife and mom
• to take better care of myself
• to try and relax a little once in a while

We'll see how well all of that goes over, but that's the plan at least. Another new year, new beginnings. We are praying that 2010 is a prosperous new year for all of you. Happy New Year! :)