It's Christmas Eve

It's 12:08am on this side of the world, and that means Christmas Eve has arrived. I'm not sure yet how that happened:)
Christmas is going to be very different this year . . . Thanksgiving was a hard day in many ways, yet sweet in others. I expect Christmas to be the same. I am learning that for the things we give up, we lay down, we let go of--there is yet more joy found in the brokeness we are left with.
Sure, I'd like to be in the car with my family headed to Texas right now. Dixie, my dog, will be frantically panting and steaming up the van windows. My brothers will be leaning against the windows, asleep in that awkward wadded-up-jacket-for-a-pillow position. My mom will be "resting her eyes", leaning against the yellow bone pillow I think my grandmother made. And Dad will be driving, squinting a little against the sun. And yes, I'd love to be with all of my extended family . . . for spice tea and cousins and catching up . . . for bodies crammed onto the open floor to sleep . . . for late nights of laughter and the real popcorn ball making event . . . for the richness of love and togetherness that I am blessed with in my family.
And yet, with all that I could be doing right now, I am here. And I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I am incredibly thankful for the privilege of being here, for the sufficient grace that's been poured upon me, for the sweet gifts I have been given in this place. I would love to have both worlds in my grasp right now, but even in my wishing, I know that I have the most precious Treasure of all. I have a King who became a Man so that I might live and never die. What greater gift could I desire?
Have a Merry Christmas, friends! May you remember that the best gift is not the silver one under the tree, or the family around you, or the security of your world . . . . but the truth that Jesus was born for you .

A Sweet, Sticky Taste of Home!

Mmmmm. So Bev, the team "mom" apparently emailed my mom to find out what some Christmas traditions of my family's were. Mom sent her the recipe for popcorn balls, which is an annual Flanagan/Denton/Hisey/Pshigoda/Phillips and others treat! Of course half the fun is in the making--the gobs of sticky goo all over the place, the hands diving in for a taste, the voices and laughter and warmth that make home and family what they are. Tonight we made green popcorn balls, and I thought I'd share the fun with you!

It's the simple things in life, really:) It's going to be fun to share these with my E. coworkers tomorrow!

Thanks, Mom!

The End (of this, anyway!)

Ok, folks. I am ending my collection of photos from Kenya and Aaron's trip! I've got other stuff that's happened since then, and since I am a little on the OCD side of life I couldn't say anything because then it would be out of chronological order, wouldn't it?!
Today is a beautiful day--it's warm and sunny. Can Christmas really be only 8 days away? We've got a baby Christmas tree and a nativity (thanks, Mom!), and today we added a wreath to the door. We listen to Chrismas music and hum carols through the day, and I think I am going to put some chocolate in my stocking--but is this all really "Christmas"?? It's not, but it's easier to see that from here than there, I think. Sure, I want the Christmas sweets and parties and frost and people--but even that wouldn't satisfy. We have a Treasure far more grand than any of these things, and that is worth celebrating!

But on to Kenya . . . .

The "tent" we stayed in at the safari camp--let's just say that's the nicest tent I'll ever sleep in! It made for a pleasant stay:)

My view of Aaron for a good portion of the trip:)

With my elephant friends

Wildebeests roaming the Masai Mara--there were hundreds of thousands. We missed the annual wildebeest migration, but it was still pretty incredible.

Giraffes are incredible creatures--they cope with awkwardness gracefully. I wish I could do that! Seriously, they made the whole safari worth it!

The Masai Mara

The Other Half (Almost)

I just realized I have fleas crawling on me, so I'm going to make the word part of this brief! I need a monkey friend right about now:) So here's some more pics from Aaron's trip--it's not all but it's close!! These are all from Kenya.

We spent a couple days on a safari on the Masai Mara:

Aaron is standing with Tanzania stretching out behind him

In Nairobi we went to an elephant orphange, where Aaron took this pretty charming photo:

Then we went to a giraffe center, where Aaron again took this cool shot:

Mmm, yummy!

Now you see it, and . . . .

Now you don't!