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2006 Christmas Letter
Posted on Dec 17, 2006 10:46 AM |
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Merry Christmas! I hope this letter finds you and yours finishing up a good year and looking forward to a fresh start in 2007.
Here is the short and simple version of this year's letter:
Sold our house. Cut down some 100 foot trees. Invasion of the POD. Built a new house. Dressed up some people as cats and phantoms. Moved twice. Went on a few trips. Worked with Habitat for Humanity. Had a few parties. Decorated a skeleton. Got pneumonia. Slow Christmas shopper. Had a good year.
If you have time and want to read and see pictures ...
2006: A Year in Pictures
JANUARY
After more than three years living out in the country (with a lovely side benefit of a 50+ minute one-way commute to work)... Steve and I decided we wanted to live closer in to town.We signed a contract on a lot and started planning with our builder. We spent most of January fine-tuning the house plans, choosing flooring, cabinets, paint, light fixtures, brick, roofing, etc. We have an estimated construction completion date of August 2006.
FEBRUARY
In February, I was the assistant director again for the dinner theatre at church. This year we did a revue and staged individual musical numbers from CATS, Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, The Producers, Gigi, West Side Story ... and even HAIR! (Our pastor played/sang the part of Berger... it was a performance not to be missed!)
MARCH
After lightning hit two of this 100+ foot tall three-tree cluster - the top of one of the trees fell and missed the house by about 4 feet. We decided we better get those trees cut down - and we wanted to do it before putting the house on the market. My parents came up to help ... and it was an adventure to say the least!!
APRIL
We spend a week in Florida for the wedding of one of Steve's friends from England - Paul. Visited Epcot and The Animal Kingdom while there ... decided that we must not go back there until we have children. I think we are missing the Disney gene ...
Construction begins on the new house. There was a period at the beginning where things move incredibly fast ... the next series of photos was taken over a period of 5 days ...
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MAY
We put our house on the market on Friday morning ... had an offer Friday night ... and a signed contract by Saturday lunchtime! We're officially homeless come June 5! We never dreamed the house would sell this fast being so far out. All we know is someone else fell in love with it just like we did more than three years ago! We're so glad it's going to have new owners who will enjoy it as much as we did!
Hmmm ... where are we going to live until the new house is finished??
CONSTRUCTION - We have brick and drywall at the new house (and our first visitors!)
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JUNE
We had a POD delivered to the old house to load furniture into. I would definitely recommend them ... it was a great way to move and store furniture.
Where exactly did we move to? In a good example of how God takes care of the details ... our church owns a missionary house in Franklin. On the day we sold our house - I mentioned it at work - and that same day the people who were going to be living at the missionary house over the summer changed their plans and the house was now going to be vacant. The church offered it to us as a place to stay until our new house was finished. All we had to pay for was utilities! Amazing!!
Two days after closing on the old house and moving into the missionary house, I left for 10 days on a mission trip to New Orleans. We worked with Habitat for Humanity (a first for me) - I hung windows, mixed concrete, wrapped a house in tyvek, and took a lot of photos. One afternoon we were able to go through the Lower 9th Ward ... where the Levees broke. We also went through Lakeside and a few other areas hardest hit by the Hurricane and flood waters. It was ... overwhelming and heartbreaking. Taking photos even seemed intrusive at times. You want photos so you can try and explain what it is like down here ... and so you can show people what you have seen ... but you are taking photos of people's pain and suffering. Families who have lost everything ... and 10 months later are still trying to survive. We walked through the streets in silence. It was ... as I said ... overwhelming. We were all so grateful for everything we have ... and for the opportunity to do something tangible to help.
CONSTRUCTION - Painting begins ... cabinets installed
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JULY
Went to camp again this year with our student ministry. We teamed up with FBC New Orleans and all had a great week at Doublehead in Town Creek, Alabama.
We're living at the missionary house... waiting on the new house to be finished...
CONSTRUCTION - Carpet, wood floors are in ... we do a walk-through with the builder and cover the house with little pieces of blue tape. For the next two weeks, the construction crew works on fixing all the bluetape items!
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AUGUST
House is finished end of July ... we move in the first part of August. Wheeee!
SEPTEMBER
As we don't have furniture in the living or dining room - it's a great time to have a party for 60+ people. So - six weeks after moving in ... we lose our minds and agree to be one of the hosts for the Black & White Party for our church's student ministry. It's a progressive dinner ... and we are dessert. Chocolate. Dripping gooey delicious brownies. New carpet. New paint. It's all good ...
OCTOBER
Getting settled in the house ... Steve hangs a fan on scary scaffolding ... Someone very nice gave us a piano.
NOVEMBER
Mom and I had a Christmas Cookie Baking photo session with Sarah on the day after Thanksgiving ... can't believe how fast she is growing up. Mark and Glenda used this photo for their Christmas Card this year!
DECEMBER
We've had fun Christmas-izing everything at the new house ... and even decorated Henry (the skeleton) in seasonal decor -- something all our visitors have greatly enjoyed ;) Had a luncheon here last week - and it was nice to have room for everyone - and be closer in so people didn't have so long to drive to come over :)
I've been fighting a bad cold which turned into a mild case of pneumonia for the past three weeks ... and until yesterday ... didn't have a single present bought! We're trying to get caught up now ... but who wants to be out at the malls the week before Christmas? Thank goodness for online shopping!
I hope 2006 has been a good year for your family ... drop us an email if you're going to be in the Nashville area.
May God Bless you, your family and friends in the coming year,
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