Moon Meanderings

Happy New Year from the Hartmans

Well,  I've decided to try blogging!  I have so enjoyed keeping up with several friends that I would have lost touch with if I wasn't reading their blog so I'm going to try to join in!  I also didn't get a Christmas or New Year letter out this year so I thought you could all enjoy in over the computer!!

I know -- a strange name for my blog.  Moon Meanderings??   Something I have been struck by at several points throughout this year is my inadequacies!  I don't like to admit them, but they seem to be plentiful!  In thinking about this I heard a song by Sara Groves that talks about how we are like the moon -- a cold, dark stone that has no light of its own.  (Sometime I will actually look up the name of the song and share it with you!)  The only way we have any light at all is through our reflection of the Son.  And the only way we can reflect that light is through an intimate, personal, and growing relationship with Christ.  I have been challenged to keep that relationship growing through study of His word and prayer.  So this blog will be comments on my meanderings through life, realizing I am but a cold dark stone in need of another to give me light.

As we look back over our year, it has been packed full!  We were blessed to be able to do a fair amount of traveling during the year.  In January we celebrated Jenna's 4th birthday by going up to Erie, PA to stay a night at Splash Lagoon -- an indoor water park which the kids just loved.  Nate had a very promising NCSAA meeting while we were there which led to all his tournaments being moved to Erie for the year, so he especially has spent lots of time in Erie over this past year.  In March we returned to Erie as Nate helped to host a tournament.  He was busy the whole time but the girls and I enjoyed hanging out at the hotel and making good use of the pool and hot tub.  In May we went with Nate's parents and sister's family to Disney World!!  This trip has been in the making for several years and was finally upon us!  We took an autotrain down since Nate at the moment refuses to fly -- the kids slept great, but mom and dad should have been drugged.  Nate's long legs especially did not enjoy the 17 hour trip.  But we made it and spent a wonderful and exhausting 5 days running to everything we wanted to see in the Disney World complex.  As we were lined up waiting to board the train Nate said,  "Do we really have to ride this train home?  Can't we just drive?"  Well I called and found out they would actually refund most of our money so we pulled out of line and spent the next 5 days slowly making our way home!  It ended up to be quite fun with no set itinerary -- we stopped at several beaches including the resort in South Carolina where Nate and I had honeymooned!  In July we were back in Erie, again at Splash Lagoon since the kids thought Wawi and Poppy need to see this!  In September we took a late season beach trip to North Carolina with Nate's parents.  We really enjoyed being there at an off season time, we didn't have to brave the crowds yet had wonderful weather for being on the beach and an overall relaxing time.  Then in November the girls and I went with my dad out to see my sister Tesha and family in Hershey, PA ... and Nate spent another 4 days in Erie for a tournament.  In December we took the older two girls to Cincinnati to see a Behold the Lamb of God concert by Andrew Peterson . . . and also appearing in that concert was Sara Groves -- both favorites of our whole family this year.  We also took in the Freedom Center which is the National Underground Railroad Musuem and the new Creation Musuem.  We arrived home on Monday evening and woke up on Tuesday to find that the transmission in our van had died!  We were to leave the next day for Erie again for another tournament so rented a van and spent the next 4 days in a hotel and at a tournament in Erie -- this trip was prolonged a day because of a big snowstorm as well!

  We have gotten used to being able to pick up and go as the girls have gotten older -- now 7, 4, and 2.  but we have recently found out that things will change in the coming year as we are expecting another baby in July!

I'd like to have this blog thing all figured out on my first try, but I realize that if I have to do it all in one sitting I'll never actually start ... so check back and I'll post pictures of our year.

You Are the Sun

3:29 PM, Jan. 19, 2008 .. Posted by Nate

The song by Sara Groves is called "You Are the Sun". Very good. You can go to the Sara Groves web site (and maybe even hear the song) at http://www.saragroves.com.

Thank you!

6:34 AM, Jan. 20, 2008 .. Posted by Aunt Kathy

Thank you for sharing all the great pictures and a newsy letter. I love reading all these blogs. Keep it up.
"I am the light of the world."..."You are the light of the world." Yes, we need that light to light our own little candles. ;-))
Love you each one, Aunt Kathy