Last Night

We have gone hiking for the past several date nights we've had. I think since it's beens such nice weather outside and since we have Marlow, we just enjoy being together, doing something active, and allowing Marlow a place to run, swim, and play. It's our favorite thing to do together. This is us last night.

A Little About Me

I haven't worked much this week, but I have kept busy with my never-ending To Do list. I think that's a sign of a Type A person, for sure. I enjoy checking things off my list. It gives me a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. I like living by a schedule and love looking to see what's on the day's agenda or what is coming up in the next couple of weeks. I'm a planner, too. When people come to visit or when we take a vacation, I have a list of ideas to go, places to see, etc. I've learned that this isn't a way to help Chris enjoy vacations. He is the opposite in liking to have no plan, no agenda, no schedule. We'll see what we see and do what we do. Such open-endedness, but we've found a way to coexist and enjoy vacations together. I also like consistency. I'm fine with change, and in fact, I love spontaneity, but normally for life, I like to know what's going on and to be able to count on something consistent. I'm not really into personality tests, like the Meiers Briggs, but I do remember that I'm an ESFJ. I think that means I'm an extrovert, sensory, feelings, and judging??? You probably notice my personality even in the way that I write letters or emails or blog, even. I love bullets and paragraphs. I like to organize my literary expressions in such a way that is clear and consise as possible.

Thunder

A thunderstorm woke me up. It was so loud it sounded like it was on top of our house. I went to check on Marlow and he was really scared and shaky, so I took him to the guest room with me and layed down. (That's the bed we occasionally let Marlow on.) Chris came in to find me, which was sweet, and we listened to the rain and thunder. In its chaos, it is still somewhat peaceful to listen to. I couldn't sleep, so I just decided to get up and read a book, then it turned into checking my email, and now this. :)

This weekend we are looking forward to visiting with Matt Clinger and Andrew and Whitney Jones. They will both be in town and they're stopping by to see us. Also, for a week, we will be keeping Jackson, Marlow's friend. Jackson's parents are going on vacation, so we'll be watching him while they're out of town. Marlow will love having a companion to play with.

Next week I'll be going to a children's ministry conference in Atlanta with a team from my church. Plane ticket, hotel, and registration fees are covered, so it will be a fun mini-vacation. I'm really looking forward to getting to know some others from our huge church just a little better.

Liberate Your Legs

Will you be celebrating this year? For more info, including a radio promo, promotional flyers, and events in your area celebrating this holiday, established in 1985, visit their website.

What a Weekend

Saturday some people from my community group came over and did yard work with me. It was so helpful and great to give our yard a bit of a facelift in a day. I now have a little garden containing 4 different kinds of tomatoes, 3 different kinds of peppers, sweet basil, lavendar thyme, and chives. I'm excited to see them grow and excited to use them in my cooking.

After the work day, Marlow and I went to a picnic with some friends downtown. He had a fun time hanging out with other doggies there.

The best part of the day was Chris's return. After 30+ hours of traveling and being gone for nearly a month, he finally returned safe and sound.

Yesterday morning we went hiking with Marlow and again, Marlow LOVED playing in the water. It's so fun to see him in pure puppy mode, playing, splashing, and running about. He's so fun.

Chris's friend from college, Kara, came to visit last night for a couple of hours. We went to church together and ate dinner afterwards. It was a short visit, but nice to hang out with a fellow Hoosier.

And today has been so relaxing. I had the day off, and Chris was able to just not go into work. Maybe part of it is the gloomy day, but it was been very peaceful and slow-going, a good change for us. We found a great little donut shop and ate there for breakfast while also competing in Take Two. Chris won. Then we came back and took our pup walking. He's a sucker for love, and just likes being around us. We've just been hanging around at home today. Chris is counting down to his deadline of staying awake until 10pm. He's still getting over his jet-lag.

Treats for Tricks

This weekend I had a fun time with a few girls from my community group. We carpooled together to the retreat that met at a ranch in New Braunfels. It was a quick trip, but refreshing to meet some new faces from our church and learn about what kind of influence I can be. Here's a picture of my community group gals.
Also, Marlow has learned two new tricks. They are "speak" and he'll bark, and "jump" and he'll jump in the air for a treat. So fun to train him and see his understanding of new vocabulary grow.

Chris gets back Saturday! I've missed him a lot and can't wait to resume our lives together. :)

I start teaching my first two night classes of "Canapés, Can I Please?" next week.

Marlow & Me

For the Easter weekend, Marlow and I trekked up to Colleyville and spent it with my family on the Bonser side. He did great traveling in the car there and back--pretty much just slept the entire time in the car, just like I usually do. It was a fun get-a-way, but it is always nice to come home and get back into the normal routine. This weekend I am off to a Womens' Retreat with my church, so Marlow is going to stay with friends and their dog, Jackson. He loves playing with him.

I worked today, but not very long, so I was back in time to run to the bank and to Target on the way home. I walked Marlow and now he's sleeping, catching up on some rest before we go over to Casey and Megan's tonight for dinner.

Veronica, the girl that's been staying here, is just here for about another week long. She's been great company while Chris is away, and not a bother at all. Sometimes I make excuses for not wanting to have company over at our house since it's not remodeled yet or I think some things don't look very nice for guests, but I think I just need to get over that. Hopefully no one cares anyway when they visit us, so I shouldn't care either.

Have I mentioned how much I love my puppy?? He's growing fast and getting big.

Chef Instructor

I got a new job! I had an interview Tuesday with the Young Chefs Academy of Austin. I will be teaching adult cooking classes twice a week, developing the curriculum, recipes, menu planning, and grocery shopping. I will be working part-time so as to keep my employment as a personal chef, which I love doing. I am excited to be challenged in a new way and to finally have an outlet where my culinary skills are really needed. The first couple of classes I will be teaching are "Canapés, Can I Please?" and a cake decorarting class. This is great because I get to combine my love of teaching with culinary arts.

April Fool's Jokes

Did you have a joke played on you or did you play one on someone else? Post a comment to share it. I'd love to hear. I thought about calling Chris (he's in Singapore for work) and telling him I was pregnant, but I didn't think he'd believe me because that's not something you really tell someone over the phone.

I got fooled--by Google. Did anyone else believe the whole "Google Paper" thing? I thought it was an interesting idea, kind of dumb, but I did believe it. It gave me a laugh this morning when I learned of it's falsity.

I Call Him Tweeder Pete

I think the nickname just naturally emerged from my affectionate greetings when I walk through the door and see him awaiting me in his crate. Very different from Marlow--not even close, but he's the same dog. And sweet as ever. We had great adventures last night. Read below:

Last night Chris and Marlow and I picked up dinner and went to the Greenbelt. We've gotten a ton of rain here recently, which is very abnormal. I was afraid it'd be too wet, but the earth really soaked it up and it wasn't too bad. The closer we got to the "river," the muddier it was, but that made it more fun. We went to what is usually the dry creek bed, but it was full and people said that it was the first time it had happened in 3 years. Marlow had a blast! Other dogs were there and he got introduced to water play for the first time. He was fearless; jumping and running and falling and scraping himself. He really had a lot of fun. And boy was he muddy at the end of the night. We took him home and gave him a bath.

Here are pictures that document the fun that was had.

Us on our way to the Greenbelt...how photogenic he is.

At the creek bed. The "before" picture.

This one makes me laugh. The "after" picture. (And my good-looking husband!)

And this is from this morning...he was checking out the rainfall out the front window.

Looking to the Summer

I had the day off today...again. I'm ready for a job change, or at least a supplemental job. I need something consistent and something more full-time. I like my job, but I can't count on it for budgeting, and that's tough.

Chris leaves Friday for Singapore for a month. Veronica is staying here though, so I'm thankful for the company. I will be gone almost every weekend until his return, too, which will make the time fly. I'm planning on going to Colleyville to visit my in-laws over Easter weekend. I also have a Women's Retreat for church another weekend, working another weekend, and a Girls Night Out.

Marlow is growing. He's already learned his name, what "no" means, how to sit on command, to lay down, to stay, and we are practicing "shake." He is full of energy sometimes and I can't help but laugh at him. Last night after we got back from Community Group, Chris and I went on a late night walk with him. It was good for Marlow, I think, since he was in his kennel that night. We got him exercised so he slept well and was calm the rest of the evening.

One of my personal goals recently is to look people in the eye when I'm speaking to them. For some reason, I've noticed my discomfort with this for awhile now. I don't think this is necessarily a good thing, so I'm trying to break myself from the habit and really make eye contact.

Tomorrow night is our Date Night, and I think we'll eat dinner here, then go hiking with Marlow, maybe introduce him to water since the lake is high because of all the recent rain.

Andy and Amanda should be leaving for England sometime soon. I'm excited for them. And Michelle is engaged and about to start the wedding planning process--how fun.

Most of all I am excited for all the visitors that will come to Austin this summer:
- Kara
- Andrew and Whitney, with their new baby girl Chloe
- Curtis and Catherine, along with the Mims
- Susan over Memorial Day weekend
- Dick and Sandi
- Mom and Dad and Aaron for my graduation

I'm ready for some fun this summer. I've got a lot planned:
- Grow Up Children's Ministry Conference in Atlanta, GA
- Bonser Family Vacation to Hilton Head
- 2 concerts
- Graduation
- ACL Music Fest with my brother

Wide Awake

On Sunday I painted the guest room and made a headboard for the bed. On Monday Chris mounted the headboard. On Tuesday I worked 14 hours. On Wednesday I worked only 10. Today was my day off. I mounted 3 shelves in the guest room and begun ripping off yucky fabric from a chair that I'm going to reupholster. I went to the bank, then headed to one of my favorite stores, Hobby Lobby. I still had credit on a gift card that I got at Christmas time, and I ended up spending all but $3. Then I met a friend for Happy Hour, then came home and hung out with my two favorite boys. Tonight I cleaned and organized up until a few minutes ago. Sometimes I get in the mode where I just don't want to stop. Strange behavior, I know. I'm a rare breed. So now I'm wide awake. Chris is in bed. Marlow is sleeping on the floor next to me. I work tomorrow late into the night, but when I get home, the weekend will begin. My in-laws are coming to visit and I'm pumped. I'm also looking forward to going to the Farmer's Market on Saturday, as well as taking my puppy for a walk, cooking up something yummy for the Bonser Bunch, and painting trim in the bedrooms. I feel like I am really enjoying learning to decorate and remodel on a budget. I was inspired to paint the guest room last Sunday when I was (get this...) cleaning and organizing the garage and found some extra paint that I had forgotten about. It was "mistake" paint, or paint that we had purchased that we had decided not to use for one reason or another. I took the chance and just went at it on the walls in the guest room. It looks really nice. It's a tannish color of sorts. I bought 4 cinder blocks from Home Depot for $1.20 each to raise the bed and give it a more normal height. I put on a dust cover to hide them, used a red blanket that we got with wedding money and bought a special decorative pillow I found for super cheap. I'm finding all sorts of things we already have that I'm tying into the room and it looks great so far. My motivation for doing this much is 1.) Chris's parents coming in town this weekend, and 2.) we are going to have a girl from church stay with us for 3 weeks. It will be great for me since Chris will be gone to Singapore for a month. She and I will hold down the fort, along with Marlow, for the duration that he is gone. I want to have a nice place for our guests to stay when they visit. A comfortable place with adequate amount of privacy is necessary, I think. Maybe these crazy ideas stem from a gift of hospitality. If I were to identify a couple of spiritual gifts I think I possess, they'd be the gifts of hospitality and encouragement. What are yours?

God As Our Romancer

"Every song you love, every memory you cherish, every moment that has moved you to holy tears has been given to you from the One who has been pursuing you from your first breath in order to win your heart. God's version of flowers and chocolates and candlelight dinners comes in the form of sunsets and falling stars, moonlight on lakes and cricket symphonies; warm wind, swaying trees, lush gardens, and fierce devotion...He knows what takes your breath away, knows what makes your heart beat faster." (Captivating)

The Latest

Since Marlow's arrival, my struggle with depression has really gotten better. I think it's simply God's blessing in giving me company, something that is happy and wagging its tail when I walk through the door. I'm not saying that Chris doesn't give me happiness. He definitely does and I adore him, but it's not having close friends yet that makes me lonely. Marlow gets me outside more, which is a good reminder that God is bigger than me. Walking Marlow is fun and a healthy activity and restful for my soul. I had gotten into the pattern of just working a lot, going to school a lot, and staying inside when I was home. It really is beautiful the world that we live in.

Tonight we are eating dinner and watching a Purdue game with our friends, Casey and Megan. Marlow is coming, too, and he'll get to meet their dog, Jackson. Last night we went out to eat at Freddie's, a local dog-friendly restaurant. Marlow was very nervous and freaked out a bit at first, but after the wait for our table, he warmed up and nestled under our table. Lots of people came up to touch him and talk to us about him, which I'm not sure helped his nerves. But he did get to try broccoli and cucumber.

The women in our community group have started a Book Club. Individually, several of us talked about how we couldn' t find one to join on the south side of Austin, so we just decided to begin our own. We plan on meeting monthly to talk and discuss each selection. This month it will be at my house. Chris is leaving again for Singapore for a month, so any social activity while he is gone is good for me. I'm looking forward to having people over. This month we are reading, "Cry, the Beloved Country," by Alan Paton.

Congratulations to my wonderful friend, Michelle Jones and her fiancé, Ryan. They got engaged yesterday in Central Park, NYC! They were there for their Spring Break and he popped the question while taking a picture of themselves on a bridge, so he got real-time pictures of it, too. Yay, I'm so happy for them!

Another book I've been reading is "Captivating," by John and Staci Eldredge. It is basically the woman's version of "Wild At Heart." It started getting good in the middle of the book. Usually, I don't get into too many Christian inspriation books. I think it's because I can't really get past the whole cheese factor of them, especially when written by a woman and for women, they sometimes make me want to gag. But I think that some of those books have good points to them, so I'm trying to get back into reading more Christian literature.

Did I mention that we went to the G-Love concert last week? I don't think I did. They were at Stubb's BBQ downtown, same place we saw Nickelcreek when we first moved here. G-Love and the Special Sauce was good. I like their music.

Family Picture

Last night we had two of Chris's co-workers from Singapore over for dinner. What a great time with them. Again, more gifts were brought to us. They enjoyed meeting Marlow, too. I hung out with a friend today and we trekked around Austin to a garden sale, then went to IKEA, then to lunch. Chris worked on the yard this morning and when I got home, there were tons of brown bags filled to the brim outside on the curb, waiting the arrival of the trash truck on Monday. Both of my boys are pooped and they are taking a nap together. This evening we are going to look for new glasses for Chris, and catch a movie with some friends. Good times.

Here's our family pic:

My Day

I feel like I have fallen in love in a whole new way. I absolutely looove my new puppy. He is so sweet and cuddly, but he also likes walks, eating sticks, leaves, bugs, and his new favorite play place, which is the ivy on the ground in our backyard. He's mastered the doggie door on the outside patio, which was left from the previous home owners. He's realizing that his name is Marlow, and last night he slept perfectly in his crate from about 11pm until 7am...we only heard him cry once! He's such a puppy because he loves to play and tackle and love on us. He really likes it when I give him leg massages. He's going to the vet for the first time tomorrow (besides his initial immunizations). We're gonna make sure he stays healthy and happy.

Congrats to my brother and sister on being Uncle Andy and Aunt Mandy!

I am officially finished with my internship for school, so now I am DONE! Graduation still awaits me in July, but I am now on the job search. I kind of want to do something temporary until the fall, then start my "real" job. I plan on sticking with my current employer for the meantime. One of the perks is that it's pretty flexible as far as my schedule goes. There are a couple of things this summer that I will need off for, so I feel like I should stick with it until after those things are over.

Chris's responsibilities at work have really increased. Several co-workers have left in the last couple of months, and more are leaving, so that means more work for Chris. Longer hours, more responsibility, late nights. Not fun, but we are learning to love each other well through these times.

We have really enjoyed hanging out with our new friends, Casey and Megan. They also went to Purdue and moved down to Austin for jobs. Casey works with Chris at AMD and Megan works for another tech company in town. They are fun people to be around. We always appreciate their company. They understand us well in the areas of feeling nostalgic for Purdue, Indiana, and family that lives a long ways away. One of my personal goals is to invest more in a friendship with Megan. I think we need each other. :)

And I have really enjoyed my Tuesdays with Jenny. That would be Jenny Kant. She's been my best friend for many years. Even though we do live miles apart, we have been talking weekly and sharing struggles, joys, and thoughts for the purpose of glorifying God all the more. We have committed to fasting together on Tuesdays and we are accountable to each other for how our our day went in our prayer time, not eating, etc. It has been a growing experience for me, but also very encouraging to know that she is doing it with me, lifting me and my family up in prayer all day long. I love her!

Meet Marlow!

We drove a little north of Waco to find our new puppy, Marlow. He's 10 weeks old today and we love him so much. He's an English Springer Spaniel. Marlow loves to play and cuddle, but he also loves to just be in the same room with us and be at our feet. We are working on the whole potty thing, but first we're trying to teach him his name. We went on our second walk ever this morning on a leash, and he did very well.

Things That Make Me Happy

1. Having a day off
2. When I've saved up enough money for a massage
3. Puppies
4. G-Love and the Special Sauce (next Friday!)
5. Cooking for pleasure

Today was my first day off in over a week and I'm lovin it. I did save up enough for a massage and got to do that today, too. Still looking for a puppy. Excited for the concert next week. Making a Greek yogurt and lamb meatball soup for dinner with pitas and a roasted red pepper hummus.

Chris is a Winner

Yay! This morning Chris ran a half marathon and did a great job. He finished in 1:41. He ran it with 2 co-workers at AMD, Casey and Ben. They also did an awesome job. We're about to head to lunch with them in an hour or so.

Scattergories

The dinner party went really well. I had a revelation while in the kitchen cooking. I stopped and thought, "I'm only 22 years old and people are paying me to cook for them." How cool. I love what I do. It's an area where there is always more to learn, a fun place to challenge myself, and a great way to serve others. People will always have to eat, but I like making people feel extra special by feeding them well. Here's a picture of me in the maddness of it all on Thursday night.
Last night we got together with a couple of our friends, Casey and Megan, who also went to Purdue. Chris works with Casey at AMD and Megan works for another tech company in town, as a financial analyst. We hadn't gotten together since before Christmas, so it was good to catch up and hear what's going on with everyone. We also played one of my favorite board games, Scattergories. We've had the game since we got married, but I think we've only played it once or twice since Chris doesn't like playing it. We also watched a movie with them, ate some movie candy and popcorn that we had brought over, and just relaxed. Chris and I had been needing some down time together, so last night was really good.

And it's Sunday morning. This is my only day off this week, so I'm trying to soak it up and enjoy the time off. Our church is beginning a 4-week series starting today talking about marriage. We also, as community group shepherds, will be facilitating a discussion about it at our meeting on Tuesday night. It should be interesting and especially insightful for us. We laugh at the thought of teaching about it since we are so young and inexperienced ourselves. We still have rough patches and get frustrated with each other and act really immature and selfish sometimes, but I think that's the reality of marriage for us. We don't love each other any less, so in the midst of it all, we completely have to trust in Jesus to carry us through.

Valentine's Day

V-Day keeps those of us in the food industry busy every year. I'm doing an event Thursday night and here's the menu I've created. Thought it might be interesting to you.

Salade

Assortment of Watercress, Arugula, and Italian Parsley

Roasted Red Bell Peppers, Pecan-Crusted Chevre

Tossed with Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette

Entrée

Roasted Loin of Pork Roulades

With Granny Smith Apple, Mission Fig, Cranberries

Butternut Squash Risotto with Pecorino

Haricots Vert

Drizzled with Warm Orange-Shallot Sauce

Dessert

Chocolate Profiteroles

Pate au Choux filled with ice cream

Warm Chocolate Sauce

Whipped Chantilly

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Since Then

Two weeks ago, my cousin and his girlfriend came to visit us. Sam and Karen are lovely people to be around. They are a lot of fun. Unfortunately the weekend they came was very rainy and cold here in Austin, so we weren't able to do as much as they wanted to outside. I did get to cook for them, however, and that was fun for me.

I have begun my internship for school with my current employer, Fine Home Dining. It has kept me busy, but I really enjoy what I do. Hopefully this is just a stepping stone for owning my own business someday.

Last Monday with Chris's 27th birthday. We celebrated by going to a movie and out to dinner. Thanks to everyone who emailed him a birthday wish. I made his cake and we brought ice cream to our community group that we shepherd from our church. It was fun to celebrate it with them.

We are excited for this weekend because my sister-in-law, Laura and her husband, Josh are coming to visit. They haven't seen our house yet, so it will be fun to host them. And of course, I am excited to cook. When we have company, it's an extra excuse to buy great products and cook really well. And people always feel special when they get to eat well.

And Chris will be going to Minneapolis for a few days next week, teaching AMD folks up there about the latest and greatest.

Goodnight and Good Luck

Whew....okay, I'm done now with posting all those pictures. Let me know how you like them. Goodnight and good luck.

Last Few

#13: Chicago folks...soo good to see them, too. We went to eat downtown right on Michigan Ave. one night and had a ball.
See...you can tell we had fun. :)
#14: Aaron Brunner was Chris's Best Man in our wedding. Stacey was pregnant at the time, so we got to meet Ben for the first time on our way home in Oklahoma City. They moved there from L.A. in August, so we are hoping to see them more often.
#15: The Nemkos...short for Nemkoviches. Madison is the one up on the shoulders and she's as cute as can be. Bonnie, her mom and my cousin, and Tim are expecting baby #2!

A Bit More

#9: Back on campus. We hadn't been back since our wedding day. We spent last Tuesday just walking around, reminiscing about good memories. We even bought a Purdue license plate frame and tee shirts. :)
#10: The 10House hosted such an awesome get-together for us so that we could see as many people as possible in one short evening. It was so good to see familiar faces and people who love us. We are very blessed.
...In all their masculinity, guys will be guys.
#11: Roger and Lana officiated our wedding and they were gracious enough to house us for a couple nights while we visited West Lafayette. They speak such wisdom into our lives.#12: These are Chris's paternal grandparents, Bob and Vivian. They are sweet and funny and very hospitable to us every time we visit. We had an enjoyable stay with them and some great food!

More

#5: The Gordons! I hadn't seen them in 5 years, but we managed to snag a couple minutes together, meeting at a store. We went to the same church, then they moved to NC. I used to babysit these boys when they were little guys...sniff, sniff. Keith and Heather look just the same. Miss you lots.
#6: Time with Aaron. Nuff said. Love that boy.
#7: How adorable is this?! Abby, my sweet little cousin, just set the stage for all the fun that was had with Billy Bob teeth on New Year's Day at my parents' house. I enjoyed getting to see my mom's extended side of the family. It had been since Thanksgiving of 2005.
#8: Home. This picture captured the "home" feeling for me. As new people are added to our family, my mom and dad just make way for more stockings and pound more nails into the mantel. I soaked up the time I had with my parents and siblings. They are just wonderful and I am very blessed.

Some Highlights From Our Trip (in order of appearance)

#1: Spending time with my cousin, Carrie! I can't believe how big she is. She was a Junior Bridesmaid in our wedding a year and a half ago, but I remember her looking like a little girl then. She's definitely a pre-teen now...watch out, world!
#2: Singing with the Singers--well, not really. They are our dear friends from Purdue. They both work at Purdue Christian Campus House, where Chris and I worked. They met us for lunch one day while we were in Anderson. We love you guys!
#3: Undoubtedly, I had a blast with my best friends from high school. They make the trip home worth it and super-fun! Everytime we get together I always manage to get all emotional on them, telling them how beautiful they are, how much they mean to me, and talking about Jesus's amazing grace. How thankful I am for Stephanie, Jenny, Michelle, and Susan.
#4: I got to go to Aaron's (my twin brother) girlfriend's graduation open house. Allison is second from the left. This is her family. She's very sweet and we love her!

2006 Xmas Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

As an engineer in charge of this year’s letter, here is the year as concise as possible… school, murder, community group, home, Singapore, loneliness. Okay just kidding, here are some details…

In January, Carey started classes at a culinary school here in Austin. She has done amazingly well – top of her class! December 21^st, she finishes her last class and will officially graduate this spring after her internship. It has gone so fast and it has been a blessing to see her grow and discover something at which she excels and loves. Plus, I’ve been eating good!

Our first tragedy as a married couple happened at the end of April. In short, we witnessed the accidental shooting that resulted in the death of our next door neighbor. Even eight months after the event we still feel some emotion in writing about it.

Partially in response to what we witnessed, but mostly tired of renting, we got serious about buying a house. In May, we found a place we liked and walked through the scary, yet exciting steps of buying our first home. I don’t think either of us slept a wink the night we put an offer on the house.

The new home has been great. We have been remodeling the guest bathroom, eating breakfast with our squirrel friend in our backyard, and hosting a community group from our church. Carey’s computer is still sitting on the floor in the study, but we are getting there.

Not five days after we moved in, I left my wife to a box of houses for Singapore. AMD sent me over for three weeks of long hours of problem solving and training the Singapore team. It was a productive trip for work and also for ministry. While there I was able to visit Chinese, Malaysian, and Filipino churches with co-workers. I had no idea they were believers and it was mutually encouraging to discover each others’ faiths in Christ. Truly the Church of Christ is without boarders and crosses all cultures.

It’s been an eventful and stretching year for us. We’ve both learned a lot about personal discipline and the value of faithfulness in the small things. In some ways it has been a lonely year as our friendships here are young, but it has also been a very fulfilling year. We have both overcome obstacles that have left us with truer understandings of ourselves.

We look forward to another year of life and marriage. Our prayer for you this Christmas is that you would gain a genuine understanding of the transforming love of Christ.
May your life never be the same.

Merry Christmas, Chris and Carey

New Year, Here I Come

Happy New Year, everyone. We are still on vacation...it has been really good so far, but the fun has just begun. We are hanging out with my parents tonight, spending time with extended family tomorrow, then onto Purdue, Chicago, St. Louis, Oklahoma City, then back to Austin. It's been really great seeing old friends. It has just filled up my yearning for more than a surface friendship. Thanks to everyone who made the time in Anderson to get together with us. I especially had a great time with JMK, Heph, Hu, Mee, and Meg. I love you all so much!

Merry Christmas!

Be awaiting our annual Christmas letter!

Monday

The weekend was a blur. I worked my little tail off doing as much cooking and entertaining as possible. It was fun, but my feet always appreciate bedtime. I'm very thankful for my job, my boss, and my love for this creative industry in which I've spent many hours the last 12 months.

This Thursday night I leave for Dallas because I'll be flying out to Chicago from there for my sister's wedding! (Well, she's not really my sister, but "in God's way" she is!) I picked up my dress from being altered and I'm ready to go. I'll be renting a car and driving 1 1/2 hours to the city in Michigan where Jess Davey will be married off to Chris Kreeger.

After class today, I joined several of my friends to celebrate the end of culinary school. We happily toasted in humor of all the stories, instuctors, and inside jokes that must be remembered.

Our Thanksgiving

A Shout Out to my Home Girl

Thanks, JRF, for your encouragement today and for initiating time with me. I am blessed to call you my friend. I hope for many more times together sharing coffee, conversation, stories, tears, laughter, etc. It's good to have you right now during this lonely season in my life. I cling to His promise once again that He will never leave me nor forsake me. He is my Friend, the Lover of my soul, and my Father. I will trust in Him. Thank you for taking time today to pry me open, listen, and encourage me. I will invest in you. I love you.

Back Home

What a weekend. It's good to be back in our home, just the two of us. It's not so fun coming back to a messy house with lots to do. I escaped the pit and bought groceries this evening. That's one of my favorite things to do--an area to spend money where I don't feel guilty! Chris finished the tiling on the bathroom floor. He's really doing a great job with all this remodeling. I can't say I've helped much at all since he works on it when I'm at my job. We're off to church.

A Day of Thanks

I just had a nice latté and my belly is warm inside. We woke up this morning and ate the famous cinnamon rolls for breakfast with the in-laws, Josh, and Laura. After playing cards for awhile, we are each doing our own thing to relax. Last year we were with my family for Thanksgiving and it's always so much fun because we get together with the entire extended family on the maternal side; 20-something people. This year I'm with the Bonsers and it's fun, too, just different.

Last night I had a dream that my twin brother was loving to me. When I think about it now, I really know it was a dream because I don't remember the last time he showed me love. That's been a personal frustration in my life for the past year...and a constant prayer of my heart. I can't express enough how hurtful, lonely, and painful this journey has been for me. My only hope is to grasp tightly to the One that I know will never leave me or forsake me. That's the thing that keeps me going each day.

It's been awhile since I've sat down to think about all the ways my God has provided, restored, and loved me. I confess that I have been consumed all too much with my measly life. It has been such a lonely year for me. I have gotten way too caught up in it lately and have not praised Him nearly enough in this chapter of my life. The deepest, truest desire of who I am is simply this...that at the end of the day, my God is glorifed.

A Chinese Thankgiving

Last night we had over 8 Chinese friends who work with Chris at AMD. They are in the states for a year and some of them have only been here a couple of months so far. They had never been inside an American home before, so we thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to invite them over for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We had a lot of fun and they were such sweet people. I was overwhelmed at how many gifts we received from them just for inviting them over. They gave Chris a handmade, silk neck tie, and we also received flowers, wine, chocolates, a fruit basket, a handmade, silk sash, and chopsticks. I envy that kind of giving spirit from their culture and wish more white people were like that. We were really blessed to have their company last night.

Bathroom Facelift

Our guest bathroom is being remodeled. So far, all but one piece of drywall has been replaced, the appliances are out, and we'll be replacing the sink, the lighting is out, and the ceiling has been scraped of it's popcorn features, and the flooring ripped up. So it's pretty bare. This weekend, Chris's parents came in town to help us with the renovations. Brenda and I painted the office, actually, and the guys worked on the bathroom. Chris bought a compound miter saw, which he's been needing for awhile. He was pretty excited about that. We bought floor and shower tile, but it will be installed next week because Chris's dad, Mike, will be coming back to Austin to stay with us for 4 more days to help finish the bathroom! We are so thankful for his servant's heart and are very fortunate to have his help since this is a crazy-busy season for us. We were hoping to have it completed by Christmas but from the looks of it, it may be done by Thanksgiving.



This is my favorite picture of the weekend. We tried out 3 different shades of green before deciding. My creativity spun into a masterpiece which I call, "The Phantom Menace of Thumper."

Date Night Fun

Ever seen "Old School" with Will Farrell? Remember the part about how dates change after you're married into trips to Home Depot and Bed, Bath, and Beyond? Kinda true. We try to have a date night once a week. Last night we went to Crate and Barrell to look at furniture, but it was closed, so instead we looked for new shoes for Chris and ended up going home to watch "Little People, Big World," one of my favorites right now. :) Here's evidence of the fun that was had.

For the Love!

I fell down some stairs yesterday morning while walking into class--yes, my sure-footedness failed me--and now I have a swollen leg, bruised knee, and sprained ankle. That happened about 6:30am yesterday, and I cared for it by standing on it all day long until getting off work at 12:30am last night. Ha! Times like this I just have to laugh at myself, I think, and say, "for the love!"

Pics From Their Visit

After we had stuffed ourselves with Thai food, we got a quick photo of each other before they left.