Along with all of the task oriented goals, I really was looking forward to this time being a chance for me to be less distracted and focused on being more aware of God speaking to me about specific decisions in the near future. Lately I've been battling emotions of not hearing God speak or feeling him lead. It is a very scary and frustrating place to be when you're not sure what to do or where to go and it doesn't feel like God is hearing your pleas. Regardless of how I feel at times, I know He hears, I know His promises, and I'm going to continue pressing on and praying for guidance, direction, passion, and joy :) If you think of it, prayers for me in this area would be great.
So, feeling refreshed, revitalized, and having a renewed zeal for my work and my life, here is a summary of how I spent the holidays and the much needed time off...
Friday 12/20 consisted of seeing one of my students graduate and hanging with Schumachers including Grandma Schu and Jon and Ally who were staying for the weekend. Saturday we had our Schumacher Christmas complete with delicious breakfast, games, a White Elephant book exchange, singing, gifts, Christmas pictures, and dinner.
Brothers praising
The girls all got new scarves for Christmas
Most of the men got new bow ties :)
On Sunday we ducked out of church early to go see a FW English Brass Band play up at Sweetwater. The theater was packed and they ran out of seats so they started setting chairs up in stage behind the musicians. Zach and I sat behind the trombones for the first half and then Tina and I enjoyed the concert from their during the second half. It was really cool to follow along with their sheet music!
Monday 12/23 Olivia and I took Tina out for her Christmas present, lunch and mani/pedis :) Zach joined us for lunch at the Paper Lantern.
Christmas day we joined the Stoller family for delicious appetizers and Christmas dinner as both J&T were out of the country/working. I woke up very gleeful because the radar showed that God saw fit to answer my prayers and give me my first white Christmas!! Even though all the days of warmer weather and rain before melted the previous snow it was dusted white during the day on Christmas and I'm counting it as a white one :)
We enjoyed beautiful music played by Sarah's talented brothers.
The guys sang some Christmas barbershop music much to Zach's joy :)
Poor Jalen spent his first Christmas in the hospital with a respiratory infection :( He was still his adorable and happy self when he came home that evening.
The rest of that week I enjoyed relaxing, spending time with friends and trying my hand at some crafts.
We have more than 10 Bibles in our home! Not a bad thing but they don't accomplish much sitting on a shelf. I'm putting some in our cars to give away if an opportunity presents itself but one of my mini travel Bibles was super tattered and worn. I decided to tear out pages of my favorite chapters and modpoge them onto a canvas I had. It's still not finished and I'm kind of disappointed with how it's turning out because of moments of hasty stenciling, but I'll keep practicing :)
When it's completed it will have Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers and the flower fades, but the WORD of our GOD will stand FOREVER". I'm hoping to find a cool frame and hang it in our living room.
I started practicing with different fonts on our chalkboard and am pleased with how it turned out. I've still got practicing to do but I learned that I actually can do this!
12/30-1/2 we went to Kansas to visit Grandma Strahm and some aunts and uncles but sadly I didn't take any pictures :(
Saturday 1/4 the night before the Polar Vortex arrived, I went to Meijer for some veggies to make a salad for dinner in which some girls were meeting me at Schu's to hang while everyone else was busy or working. When I got there the entire produce section was wiped clean! I didn't understand what was going on. I thought maybe they were reorganizing their store or maybe going out of business... It wasn't until the next day in church that I understood that everyone had bought every grocery store out of stock in preparation for the storm. Apparently people freak out and stock up on salad...? Evidence I'm not a midwestern girl yet :)
Where the bags of lettuce should have been
A homemade Chinese feast!
Sunday 1/5 was spent at shortened church, singing in a funeral choir, and hanging at Schus with some cute kiddos, and mentally preparing me for work the next day :) It wasn't until a couple hours later that I got a text that made me scream for joy informing me of my school's cancellation for the next day :D We ended up staying the night and going home Monday morning because it was snowing that much!
Selah showing me her blue tongue
I suited up and voluntarily shoveled the driveway :)
Driving home Monday during the "state of emergency" which meant we shouldn't have been out driving...:/ oops
Taken after receiving another text Monday night saying we were cancelled again Tuesday!
Zach helps every person we come across that's stuck. One of the many reasons I love him ;) He has pushed many cars out of snow this winter already!
So I guess those were the highlights of break. We also tried working out at our apartment's gym for the first time, read a lot on our own and together, slept in (:D), saw a movie (Saving Mr. Banks), went shopping, hosted friends for games and desserts, Skyped the Phoenix fam, and many other wonderful things.
what a fun post -- looks like you had a great break! love your projects that you are working on, so creative.
ReplyDeletereally loved your thoughts at the beginning and will be praying for you!