Welcome 2009!

Well, things are starting to get back to normal in our house...if you could ever refer to our house as "normal." Everyone is back from the holidays, we are done with parties and guests, and we are all back to work. I have to say, I actually glad to be back to work, but I certainly enjoyed every bit of the Christmas/New Year season. It was a whirlwind, but here is the quick rundown... be prepared for a LOT of pictures!

First, some of our very dearest friends, Caleb and Alison, tied the knot. We all (our entire house and many of our friends from Dallas) traveled down to Houston for the weekend and had a blast. I can honestly say that I do not believe I have been to a sweeter more beautiful wedding. The entire weekend was a just a joy from start to finish.

The Bride and Groom at their Western themed rehearsal

Caleb goofing around with his groomsmen

Our housemates dancing around afterwards...they are too cute.

Justin, our other housemate, and his beautiful girlfriend, Lauren, at the dinner. Amber and me at the bachelorette party.Alison and me.
I made all the bouquets! Not too bad for my first time. :)
Alison's beautiful dress.

Justin and Lauren

Our wonderful friends John and Tyese

Don't we all clean up so nice!?

Amber and Nathan

The beautiful Vicki and me...love my old roomie!

First dance...so sweet!

Immediately after Caleb and Alison's wedding was over, Chris and I drove the four and a half hours back to Dallas so we could sleep for a few hours before we got on the road for Indy. Christmas was absolutely wonderful, and it was just so nice to be able to see my family after 6 months! It was a visit filled with lots of card playing, lots of wii, and TONS of laughing till you cry! It was awesome!

Tommy's gift to Jessica
Jessica's reaction to Tommy's gift

My cousin Austin got new wrestling shoes...he's so cute!

Haha...

Tommy LOVES Celine!

My uncle Kevin and me being artsy with our cameras

We got Dad the first season of 24, but from what I hear, its my mom who has developed and addiction.

This is my favorite set...Jessica's attempt to be subtle in her reaction to grandma giving Chris the Kelly Pickler CD.

Hmmm...do you think anyone noticed that she found it humorous?

Yep, she lost it. There's no hiding it.

Love them!

Brothers

The girls
Hahaha...the boys

Jess in her Santa hat

Like mother like daughter
I love my papaw! Such blue eyes!

See any resemblance???

Love my Daddy

After Christmas Jessica came and spent the week with us. I'm a slacker and I don't really have any pictures of that. :( It was wonderful! We had a blast!

And finally, last but not least, we ended the holidays with another wedding. Chris performed his first wedding ceremony for some wonderful friends, John and Tyese.  It was simply beautiful!

2nd attempt at flowers...I think I'm getting better!

The bride getting ready

Beautiful dress

My lovely Vicki

Bridesmaids

She's so gorgeous!

Chris and Jess enjoying the reception.

It was so nice to have my baby sis around.

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. John and Tyese Little!

Overall, it was a fabulous way to end 2008 and begin 2009.  Its hard to believe all the changes that are going to come in this year alone.  Before the end of this year Chris and I, along with some of our wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ, will have left behind everything that is familiar and comfortable to embark on the mission the Lord has set before us.  Its going to be a crazy year, and I can't wait!

Making Connections

Last night Chris and I had dinner with Phil Claycomb, the director of a church planting organization in Texas, and Bob Wood the director of Oregon Christian Evangelistic Fellowship, who also plants churches. We enjoyed an nice dinner and afterwards began discussing our vision for Portland and possible paths to get there.
I will have to admit that going into this dinner, I was not particularly excited. As a team we have taken some hits over the past few months, and as a result, we have been able to spend very little time focusing on the future. In many ways not focusing on it has been a good thing. The more I focus on the things I can't control, the more things like worry and doubt take over my mind. In other ways, it has made it seem more and more as if this vision will never become a reality. So going into our "meeting" last night, I was just afraid that we were opening ourselves up to another blow. Chris however, was optimistic as usual, and he was right.
The conversation revolved around when we were moving, what our vision is, where we will live, possible places to get experience in Portland or surrounding ares, possible people and organizations to get connected with, etc. I don't have any incredible news to report, or any great developments to inform you of, but for me, the overall encouraging tone of the evening was a huge blessing. I have found myself so discouraged and doubtful lately, and I needed someone, anyone, to talk to us as if they were on our side, as if they believed that God could or would choose to use us. Physically we left with a business card, a couple names, and a phone number, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, I know at least I left with a renewed sense of calling, and affirmation that the Lord is with us. I was reminded in such a subtle way that when the Lord calls you to do something, He will not leave you without the means to get it done.

Plus, there was great soup and good coffee. :)

Its beginning...

to look a lot like Christmas around the Haney (Jewett, Bair) house. Actually we have had our Christmas decor up since Thanksgiving evening. I love our Christmas trees. I love Christmas trees in general.

It is sometimes hard for me to get into the "Christmas spirit" here. Yesterday, for example, Chris was wearing shorts! It was December 14th for goodness sake! I have been counting down the days till I get to go home to the freezing cold and spend Christmas with my family. I still am counting down (7 days to go...yay!), but this week as I was taking pictures of my Christmas trees, I was reminded that Jesus is far bigger than the fact that there is no snow on the ground, and my husband is in shorts. Christmas is about celebrating the fact that God loved us so incredibly much that he sent a tiny baby to rescue us all from a life without Him. It seems so silly to get caught up in the little things that aren't really about Christmas at all. So here are a few of those pictures from our Christmas tree trimmings.

Stuck

Okay, so I can't quite figure out why I have become such a bad blogger. Well, actually, I can't ever really claim that I was a good one, but I am certainly worse than I have previously been. It seems that I have found myself in a rather dry place with nothing worth writing about. This though, is in fact not true. There are plenty of things going on in my life (plenty of great things, plenty of crappy things), yet throughout all of them I am finding myself unmoved. Thus, I am not motivated to write.
Why is it that we come to those places? Why is it that we go through spells where it simply seems like we are on autopilot? I'm not even sure how apathy begins to creep in. Do we invite it? Does it come as a result of laziness? Or maybe its a defense mechanism? (I can't remember needing to defend myself from something.) And, how do you get rid of it?
It is an awfully unfortunate thing to be apathetic and numb around the holidays. It seems there is so much to savor and enjoy, not the least of which is the very reason we celebrate Christmas. But, here I am, aware that this time of the year I should be celebrating my Savior, finding myself unable to mean it, unable to feel it.
I am not ungrateful. Or, maybe I am. Maybe if I were truly grateful I wouldn't be in this dull and lifeless place. Whatever the case, I do not believe myself to be unappreciative of Christ and the incredible gift he has given me. I am just stuck. I am stuck, and apathetic, and growing more and more stagnant...and from what I know, stagnancy leads to death. I think I desperately need to figure out how to get "unstuck".