Happy 2008! (Only a Few Days Late!)

Happy New Year, everyone! Despite my best intentions, we're already almost a week into the new year by the time I am posting some fun pictures of our New Year's Eve party. We got together with some American friends and ate delicious food (wow, there's been a lot of that going on lately), played games--the kids too--and laughed and talked until late in the night. Actually it was the wee hours of the early morning. We put our kids down for bed at their normal hour (8pm) at our friend's house so that we adults could enjoy some time together, too. So since the kids were sleeping soundly, we just stayed, and stayed, and stayed! John and I set a record for being out late--I think we arrived home about 3:45am and got the girls back to bed in their own beds again about 4. Thankfully they then slept until 10! Or at least, it was 10:04 on my bedside clock when Clara Anne's calls of "Mommy! Mo-o-o-ommy!" finally penetrated my sleepy haze. Staying up that late was a really fun thing to do--once a year, maybe. Otherwise the recovery time is just not practical!

So here's some picture highlights of our party: First, Clara Anne and Chloe, my purple girls, all bundled up to go outside. It's been pretty cold lately!

Chloe and I next to our friend's lovely Christmas tree. Like my paisley prego pants??

A fun activity for the kids--stringing popcorn necklaces. They really enjoyed this as well as a Dora Dominoes game and a Colors game.

Each family also enjoyed a very special activity--making S'mores (over the gas flame of the stove), made extra-special by the fact that the graham crackers and the marshmallows have to be imported. Chloe enjoyed hers, down to the last bite!

We adults played a really fun game (after the kids went to bed) called "Apples to Apples" where we all got to know one another a bit more and laughed a lot in the process. Then we ate some more dessert (Apple Crisp, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and Hello Dollies) and laughed some more. I am thankful for these friendships and for a special evening together!

So, another year has passed. 2007 was a year of travel, transition, and many, many blessings, like spending time with so many friends and family members, seeing our girls grow and mature, and learning that our third baby was on the way! We are thankful for the mercies we've been shown, and are looking forward to a new year of His continued work. May you also see Him at work in your lives in this coming year! And whenever the calendar turns, I think--maybe this will be the year of His return! Amen, let it be so! But as we wait, Happy 2008 everyone!