1. On June 16th, my husband started his new job as an assistant city engineer.
2. We have made quite a leap this leap year :). We sold our house in July; after living in the same area for about 12 years, we relocated to a new city to be closer to my husband's workplace. We moved into our current home on July 31st.
3. We had always wanted to live in the country; the dream finally came true. We bought two goats (a Nubian and a LaMancha) to be our pets and our lawnmowers :).
4. Both my husband and I turned 40! My birthday this year was an unforgettable one.
5. Our niece gave birth to a baby boy on Nov. 6th. His name is Javari. He is so adorable!
6. Our daughter, Alyssa, has been a contributor at Growing in Grace (free online Christian magazine for ladies) since February.
7. Both Alyssa and I have become book reviewers for Thomas Nelson Publishers.
8. Some of our cool outings/field trips include: Seaside/Cannon Beach, Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, Champoeg State Park, Do Hard Things conference, and the Oregon Zoo.
9. Our region broke a 40 year old record of snowfall this month. We took advantage of that by sledding to the max :). I shared some of the pictures here.
10. I enjoy staying in touch with family, reconnecting with old friends, and getting to know new friends via Facebook. I'm "Fruit Bearer" on there.
I am in awe once again at the Lord's grace and mercy! We are very thankful for all His blessings, including surprises and changes :). We are glad that the Lord continues to use us and our home to reach out to the international students with Christ's love. In our new/current city, God also put us near a university just like our previous house. I would also like to share about two incredible answered prayers that I have not blogged about yet. #1. One day in June, we went to different places including a farmer's market and Goodwill. At home that evening, my heart sank when I realized that I lost my amethyst ring that my husband gave me as an anniversary gift. I remembered having it on my finger that morning but then had no idea when I might have dropped it. It could be anywhere...at the farmer's market...or...we were afraid it could have fallen into one of the bags (filled with stuff) we donated to Goodwill. We called Goodwill and asked them to notify us if they found it. We looked all over the house and the garage (I spent some time in the garage packing...getting ready to move). We prayed and prayed. I hoped and prayed that someone in need would find it (he/she could sell it and use money to buy food) if it's not to be found by us. That night I kissed my husband goodnight and then went to the garage to pack some more. As I opened the door to the garage, I looked down and saw my amethyst ring on the floor! I thanked the Lord and then ran upstairs screaming with elation...letting my husband know that the Lord led me to find it.
#2. A few months ago, we were shocked that our water bill was more than $200. We knew we must have had a leak somewhere (underground)...but where? It would cost a lot to have someone come out here to locate the leak and then to fix it. We prayed and asked the Lord to show us where the leak was and what we should do. The first spot that the Lord led my husband to dig was where the leak was! Praise God! My husband was able to fix it and our water bill has been back to normal.
Isn't the Lord so awesome?!!! I am excited about a new year of living for Him, living in the light of eternity, serving Him, and sharing His love. To God alone be all the glory!!! | 
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Posted by Mr. Joker 
Thursday, January 1, 2009 - Praise the Lord!!!