Happy New Year!

I have that empty feeling I usually get after Christmas ends or after snow melts away! This New Year is a double whammie! The snow is gone and Christmas 2008 is a memory stored in my mind and on the "J" drive of my computer (the extra memory drive where we store all of our family pics. It's called Maxtor).
We had a really great Christmas season this year. We celebrated Christ's Birth in many ways and I feel that it is always a challenge to remember that this is why we celebrate Christmas.
Here is a list or our season highlights:
Hovde Tree Farm days
Christmas Dinner at church
Christmas Shopping on Amazon
Decorating our home with a Christmas Tree, Laurel Wreaths, and lots of red "shatterproof" ball ornaments
Lining our Driveway with Christmas Lights with the kids
Advent Calendar countdown
Nick and Sarah Kheriaty visit us
Christmas Eve (at Grammie and Grandpa's and at GiGi's)
Christmas Morning at Home (ahhh....home is best)
Our baby chick hatched on Christmas morning! Its name is appropriately "Christmas".
Christmas Dinner at Greatgrandma and Greatgrandpa's
The Rudolph's arrive in the Northwest the day after Christmas!
Dec. 27th Rudolph Family Christmas!
Board Game Day!
Elias' first ski day with Dad!
Rudolph family leaves :(
Visit Shoreline to see the Cabiles'
New Years Eve @ the Tarrells
New Years Day Brunch at Grammie and Grandpa's with David and Sarah.
I really truly enjoyed this busy season. Not that we don't have our moments of being marred by the curse of sin, but as we are married longer, Dustin and I are growing closer. We have the same vision, same goal for our family (to magnify Christ) and in desiring that end, we both seek to serve each other and our family. Dustin is kind, patient, trustworthy and loving toward me. He leads me confidently and firmly. I really like that. I really need that. It is a joy for me to submit to his headship in our marriage because of how he leads us. And when I submit to his headship, it is a joy for him to be the leader.

I will post some new photos of our family tomorrow.
For now, a thousand words will have to create the picture of the Rudolph Christmas Season.