How wonderful it was to not travel 750 miles to spend Christmas with family! We enjoyed great memories with both families and even squeezed in a one extended family festivity. We began our season with school programs. Both Madison & Breanne did so well singing with their classes, even though they didn't have much time to practice.
They seem to be making friends as Madison was spying and waving to many new friends while we waited for Bre's program to begin.
One afternoon, we had a surprise when uncle Bryce came to visit the girls after school. He said the lego stash at the grandma Linda's wasn't up to par, but he still helped make a house, car and garage.
The Red team was Breanne, Braelyn, Daniel and chaperoned by Derrick. This team came in last but finished in stride after eating 14 cups of Cheerios before finding the cup with a marked X. It was so fun to hear Derrick tell stories about his niece and nephew!
Breanne & Braelyn give directions to a blindfolded Daniel who finds the wrapped box that holds the math problem.
Although they lagged behind most of the race, their patience perseverance would pay off!
Rebekah was the only balancing act to make it around the block without dropping the onion off the spoon so her team didn't have to participate in the 5th leg of the race. They easily won while the other teams ate more Cheerios.Aliya celebrates her team winning the Amazing Race!
Aliya & Abigail were also excited to participate with their cousins. The cousins all play really nicely and enjoyed a sleepover with at grandma's WITHOUT their parents. (Aaahhhh...for us!) Aliya and our very own Chlo-Bear (a.k.a. Ka-o-la-Bear to Aliya) were all smiles after the sleepover.
Breanne and Madison were mostly on their own with the decorating, but Aliya got support from Daddy. With about half of the house covered Breanne says, "Can I be done now?" as she pulls off a fruitsie roll and pops it in her mouth. Apparently finished with the decorating and on to the eating!
It's a brown Christmas in Minnesota this year...
One laughable moment was Aliya taking a bite of the chocolate bar and then placing it perfectly on the gingerbread house.
Hands up,
Holler back here,
Let's throw this party in gear,
We brought the welcome mat,
Wherever we go, that's where the party's at.
When the Newsboys came out with this song one year after our move to Montana, Derrick said, “that’s like us…wherever we go…” Six years ago, we made the leap from Tennessee to Montana. It didn’t totally make sense (Derrick had a good job, great friends, a fabulous church family, not mention 20 miles from the lake) but we didn’t want to live our lives wondering, “what if we would have...” So we stepped out of the boat and tried Montana. If wherever we go, that's where (our) party's at, the party has moved. It’s almost deja vu. In Montana, Derrick had a good job, we had great friends and a great church family (not to mention the mountains nearby), but when the opportunity came to move to Minnesota closer to family, we couldn’t pass it up. Something about seeing the girls with their grandparents for quick visits and listening to Madison tell her friend in Montana on the phone all about the day they got to spend at their cousins has already been received as a blessing from our good Lord.
But let me back up and give you a synopsis of our year. In March, we got the ultimate Montana experience of snowmobiling. Derrick & the girls LOVED it. Give mom a hot cup of coffee and a warm fireplace and I’m good. It was fun to be with friends, out in the mountains and listen to Harold’s stories around the woodstove. In July, we bought a boat and the rest of the summer is history! We spent every weekend after that, save one, on the lake. The best was watching Madi & Bre water ski! Derrick & I celebrated 10 years of marriage in August. Most people go on a cruise or maybe even Hawaii…Montanans go backpacking. It was awesome to be alone, just the two of us, in the mountains for a weekend!
Aliya had her first broken leg in March (why do these things always happen when Derrick is out of town?) She’s often making us laugh and is truly a sweet, well-natured little three-year old.
Madison continues to exhibit the spiritual gift of compassion & generousity. If she’s got a dollar, she knows someone who needs it more than she does. This year, she & Breanne helped with our family garage sale and made enough money to fill 20 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. She enjoyed girls’ softball this year and began piano lessons in the fall.
Breanne learned to ride her bike without training wheels & requests a house with a long-driveway for lots of bike riding! She’s very wise and precautious and was an excellent class helper for her teacher!
For a couple years, we’ve been praying for an opportunity to return to the Minnesota area, but God never opened the door for us to go. About October, the door swung open. Derrick was offered a job with a new engineering consulting firm called Kestrel Engineering and asked to relocate to the Minneapolis Metro area to work from the office there. We were prayerful and decided to accept. The week following putting our home for sale, we had sold it. This was much quicker than we anticipated, but it was a very direct answer to a prayer asking God to confirm that this was His will for our family. The flip side of that is that it has left us homeless, but we are so grateful for the graciousness of our parents who both offered to let us live with them until we find the right house. It’s a relief to not be rushed in decision making and actually, the arrangement is working out okay. We’re currently residing in Becky’s parent’s “2-bedroom basement apartment.” We’re super blessed to be VERY close to family for this Christmas season! May you be blessed as well by obediently following Christ. Merry Christmas!
P.S. If you see Santa, let him know Madison, Breanne & Aliya’s stockings are hung at 911 5th St SE, Pipestone, MN 56164.
Yesterday, the girls brought in their packed shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child with Samaritian's Purse. As always, it was pure joy watching them worship this way. 
We used the money they had earned at our garage sale last spring to buy the supplies (they sold lemonade..I sold their clothes & toys). Madison says it's the best part of Christmas. Even Aliya got to pick out some babies to send to little girls across the world to open for Christmas. The team the drop off location was so kind to explain to the girls what happens when kids get their boxes and where our boxes are probably headed. It gave me goosebumps to see the HUGE pile of boxes in front of their sanctuary...almost 1400 shoe boxes! Go God! 
