Christmas time things, pictures, & ponderings.

I've really been enjoying this Christmas season.  I love having our little decorations up around the house, picking out our tree together, parties, winter-y foods, all that jazz.

Wreath I made for our front door.

Flowers from our yard - a very pleasant surprise since I didn't know we had a Camellia bush until it bloomed!

My wonderful friend threw a lovely holiday party.  She was like Martha Stewart - so many individual and fun details...details like this photo booth she set up in her bedroom.  Thanks for the fun time, Samantha!

Me and some of my favorite ladies.

Oh yeah.

Love this gang.

He will hate I put this up - but I can't help it :)

Also in the spirit of this Christmas season, David and I have been doing an Advent reading by John Piper.  I also read this thoughtful post, and I'm reminded more than usual that Advent really is a season of waiting.  This broken world had been waiting on Jesus' birth - their Savior, Rescuer, and King - for what i'm sure felt like an eternity.  There was an aching void, which made His arrival all the more sweeter.

I unfortunately admit I often don't focus much on when Jesus will come back, but I pray for a spirit of peaceful anticipation for His return.  I pray for the continued work of Jesus in the void in my own heart.  I pray to be even more thankful this year for His coming, and the grace that that brings us all.

Friendsgiving 2012

David and I had our second annual "Friendsgiving" this year.  With David's job we don't have time to go visit family, so we host an open celebration at our house for anyone else in the same situation.  This year (in my opinion) was so fun.  Friends - old and new, football, games, lounging, delicious food...a winning equation in my book.  And with two babies and a guest from Africa, we had three "first" Thanksgivings experienced :)

Our 20 pounder!

Mmm mmm mmm. 

Baby Amelia :)

Tsadik admiring Amelia's cuteness.

Vicious game of Settlers.

The whole lovely gang (minus me).

Much love to everyone who hung out with us, it made our Thanksgiving great!

Down and out

So remember last time I posted that I was feeling under the weather?  Well, that turned into a full blown bacterial sinus infection, and I haven't felt this bad in a long while.  Yesterday I was a total pathetic mess - after working all morning, and then waiting almost 3 hours at the urgent care clinic for a prescription, and just being fed up about feeling so crappy, I came home and cried on David's shoulder.  

He lovingly (and with a little fear in his eyes) asked what I was so sad about...and I couldn't really articulate anything, which made me realize how irrational I was being.  There's really no reason to cry just because you're sick, and then he gave me a big hug anyway and made me tea.

Any other wives out there thankful for husbands who are less crazy than us? Amen.

Throwback photo from freshman year(?), courtesy of Alex Kwong.

Savannah

Savannah, Georgia - if you haven't been before, you should put it on your list.  It's filled with old charm, nice people, courtyards dripped in spanish moss, fun events, and good good food.  And it happens to only be a 2.5 hour drive from us, which is a reason we love it even more.  

David ran his 3rd half marathon here last weekend.  We both took Friday off and enjoyed the town before David had to run his race.  I'm so impressed by him.  I've never been a runner, so 13 miles sounds impossible to me.  We happened to know several people running it as well, so we got to hang out with good friends and had such a blast.

Dinner the night before.

St. John's cathedral.

At the runner's expo.

I predict you will finish with a best time.

Over 17,000 runners!!!

Ready to rock n' run.

Tee hee.

Proud of my hubs.

Almost 10 years cancer free!

Ready for a night out :)

Unfortunately i've come down with the crud/cold/allergies whatchamacallit, but glad I got to enjoy this weekend before it hit :)  I plan to stay on the couch, eat soup, and drink hot chocolate...when i'm not working at least.  Hope everyone else is staying warm and healthy out there. 

Satisfied in You

I know i've posted song lyrics before, but I love looking up and reading them.  I love focusing on the words and the meaning.  And I love when I find songs that I feel like are direct cries of my heart - this is one of them.  I hope you take the time to meditate on the the words and be encouraged today.

I have lost my appetite
And a flood is welling up behind my eyes
So I eat the tears I cry
And if that were not enough
They know just the words to cut and tear and prod
When they ask me “Whereʼs your God?”

Why are you downcast, oh my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
I can remember when you showed your face to me

As a deer pants for water, so my soul thirsts for you
And when I survey Your splendor, You so faithfully renew
Like a bed of rest for my fainting flesh 

When Iʼm looking at the ground
Itʼs an inbred feedback loop that drags me down
So itʼs time to lift my brow
And remember better days
When I loved to worship you and learn your ways
Singing sweetest songs of praise

Let my sighs give way to songs that sing about your faithfulness
Let my pain reveal your glory as my only real rest
Let my losses show me all I truly have is you 

So when Iʼm drowning out at sea
And all your breakers and your waves crash down on me
Iʼll recall your safety scheme
Youʼre the one who made the waves
And your Son went out to suffer in my place
And to show me that Iʼm safe

Why am I down?
Why so disturbed?
I am satisfied in you

Fall favorites

I love this current season - cooler weather, yummy food, football, changing leaves, holiday anticipations, etc.  And even though David and I have both been busier with work, i've been trying to fully enjoy all these things.

Camping with some girl friends by the lake.

Perfection.

A little dress up for my front door.

And a great warm recipe I want to share - Red beans and rice

I know that this is an incredibly simple recipe, but it's oh so good.  Definitely husband approved, super easy, and inexpensive! We found it quite spicy, which we loved, but you might want to use less seasonings if  you don't handle that as well. 

Photo from original website -  we ate ours too fast.

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Asheville

Man, what a great small vacation we just had.  Some of our best friends from Texas flew all the way out to Augusta, and then we drove up to Asheville for the weekend.  This trip was relaxing, hilarious, delicious, fun, beautiful, and just what we needed.  Side note: that's one of the things I love about Augusta, you can drive to a ton of wonderful places all within about 3 hours.  Coming from Texas, a state that takes 2 days to drive across, that's a novel and refreshing concept!

Anyway, our first stop was our bed and breakfast, The Sweet Biscuit Inn.  This place was so cute, and comparatively affordable.  The owners were an adorable, hospitable French couple who whipped up quite the spread each morning.  I'd recommend this place to whoever is going up to Asheville.

We did a little front porch drinkin'

Next was the Biltmore Estate - most pictures are of their gorgeous gardens because you can't take pictures inside.  I want their landscapers to come to my house right this instant and crash my yard.

My favorite photo of my favorite flowers I saw there.  LOVED them.

And of course the tour ended with a wine tasting.  Not too shabby.

We also ate a ton of good food, which I was too busy engulfing to take pictures of.  But I would definitely recommend Tupelo Honey Cafe - it's quite busy, but worth the wait.  And when you go, you have to order the Appilachian Eggrolls: carolina pulled pork wrapped in collard greens and goodness and we were all drooling.  Ok i'm done.

On our last day, we detoured on our way home to go hiking at Chimney Rock/Lake Lure area.  Wow, this was so worth stopping at.  Such perfect creation on display.

404 ft. waterfall - epic!

 

Sorry, I had to add this one :)

I could have stayed here all day.

Oh yeah, and on the way home we picked up what felt like 100 lbs of applies.  Delicious ones I might add, that have already gone into a pie this week.  The taste of Autumn!

Ok, we didn't go home with ALL of these.

And just for funsies, the blooper reel:

There's something just so great and comfortable about being with your close friends.  Thanks Tiff and Wayne for visiting!