New Year's Eve and Day!

Welcome 2014!

2013 was an amazing year, full of surprises, blessings, and exciting happenings!

We have thanked the Lord for those times, and go forward with confidence and peace into 2014 knowing He is faithful and will be with us every step.

New Year's eve there was a gathering at the building where meetings are held.  It was a Group Costume party, or things that go together.  Many dressed up and we all brought lots of yummy food!

Kevin and Addie dressed as an Amish couple. 

The Turpin kids and Nancy came at sheets of music!

We had Olive Oil and Popeye, SB and Austin.

Here we have Schoeder and Lucy from the comic stip Peanuts.

I made the piano, Matthew made it black and put the keys on it.

 It was a fun evening of visiting, eating, and games.  The kids were hilarious trying to pop each others' balloons.  The young people, including the two of us, did it as well.

On New Year's Day, we picked up Lucy, Tom, and Ian and went to the ice-skating rink.  Austin was working and found the skates that Matthew really liked last year and some sharp ones for me.  It was fun being with the Turpin kids, despite some sore feet and uncomfy skates.  Thanks for going with us!


Nancy, Dad, Mom, and SB came to watch us for awhile.  It was tons of fun, but I was being a bit crazy and fell really hard.  Matthew helped me up and brushed me off, I started to get dizzy and the next thing I knew someone was gently slapping my face and yelling for help!  I had fainted!  Thankfully Matthew had been holding me tight so I didn't fall again.  Nancy took the kids back with her, Matthew pampered me for the rest of the day, then the kids came back for supper with us.  Lucy made the special part of Spaghetti Special, Ian made the garlic toast, and afterwards Tom helped me clean up the kitchen!  Matthew answered all their techy questions and fixed their phones so they could take more pictures for the rest of their trip.  After dinner we read Colossians 3 and had an encouraging conversation about letting our lights shine in inclusive ways rather than being exclusive, and loving those around us.

 Really nice to see them again, thankful for the little bit of time we got to spend with them.  The leave Tuesday evening to head home, prayers for a safe flight for them!

Today is Matthew's last day of work at his old job!  We are looking forward to the week ahead.  Have some practical, necessary things planned, and hopefully a day hiking at Pinnacles!  We will enjoy the time together, but I know he is itching to start his new job, too!  That will be the 14th.  And I'd better get moving here... Mom and SB are picking me up to enjoy SB's last day of winter break.  We are going down to chill at the beach.  Actually it is supposed to be over 70 degrees F there!  

Stay safe and warm to all those one the east coast and in NL!  Thinking of you often and come thaw out any time! ;)