Christmas with the Huffs

I am sure we are all feeling it, but Christmas time (which starts the week before Thanksgiving) is sooooooooooooo busy! Why I don't I start back then and let you know what has been going on in our lives. I will give you headers, so you can find your spot again if it takes too long to read in one sitting - I am an organize freak!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a blast! We went to my mom's in the morning and had lots of yummy food. We even got a great picture of the four generations, who just happened to be color coordinated. And then still-preggo Crystal and I got belly shots, and my sis was home from being 27 states away! That evening we went to the Huffs and had dinner with the whole family. Both Jeremy and Jordan were in town, from Uganda for five months and BBC. Josh was really excited to have his brothers home. And my honey helped put up Christmas lights while Charis napped! Yea Christmas decorations!

Baby Shower
The day after Thanksgiving Talitha and I threw a "baby" shower for Crystal, which was actually a shower all about Crystal. The presents were for her, not Noah - pampering stuff, post-push-the-baby-out clothes, etc. All of her close friends gathered for a night of yummy food, manicures and pedicures and a time of celebrating our wonderful sister.

Cell Phone
So my cell phone made us sad this past month. Josh and I survive happily on 850 minutes a month, and joyfully accumulate any rollover minutes for future months if they aren't used. However, I knew I had been using it more since I started my new job. So after three months of work I decided to really look at my bill and see if I was going over each month and how many rollover minutes we had left. Well, surprise, surprise! I took a look at my bill to see that not only had I gone over each month, I had exhausted our 2000+ rollover minutes and I was now facing a bill of $750. So sad. Long story short - my boss helped out with a portion of the bill, we upped the plan to 2100 minutes a month and my boss will also be helping out with that each month. It did however mean that until the next billing cycle came around we couldn't move to this new plan, so I couldn't talk to any of you for weeks. All is fine now and I will be answering my phone if you call!

Noah

My adorable little nephew entered the world on Monday, December 3 at 10:01pm. I was standing at the door and heard both his first cry and Crystal's few moans of pain. (I heard a lot of laughter during the pushing process - give me what she had when Selah comes around!) He is beautiful and I think he is a perfect mixture of Jordan and Crys. Being only 7lbs. 10oz. and 19 inches he is a little thing and feels like nothing compared to Charis' 23 pounds. She says "Noah", but it doesn't sound anything like it, but she does say baby and has given him many kisses on his head. And Josh even had the joy of holding him when he was a few weeks and having him fill his little diaper in Josh's hand!

Christmas Walk / Christmas Sing / Choir Party

This year instead of a Christmas Concert at church we decided to take "our show on the road." So on Friday the 7th the small ensemble (us, Josh's parents and the Jacobys) went to 3rd Street in Geneva for the annual Christmas Walk. We wandered around caroling and handed out flyers for our Christmas Eve service. I really enjoyed myself, even though my toes were frozen by the end of the night (I even had three pairs of socks on!).

The following weekend the choir and ensemble went to some nursing homes to bring some Christmas cheer to the people that lived there. We had a warm reception and it was great to visit with the people there. I hope we take our concert out to people who don't hear the message of Christ more often in the years to come.

We finished up the evening at our Pastor's house for our choir party. Yummy food, good fellowship, what more can you ask for?

Staff Christmas Party

On Monday the 10th, we had the FVBC Staff Christmas Party. We didn't go to a restaurant this year, but instead gathered in one of the lady's homes. It was really nice and again, food was superb! And we did our Christmas gift exchange, which involves everyone taking a gift in a certain order and stealing gifts. Poor Josh was left with the "we gave a gift to this charitable organization in your name" gift. While it is a nice idea, I don't think it is exactly appropriate for this type of gift exchange. Even so, we had a great night.

(Anyone noticing how many times we have had to drop Charis at a sitter yet? Don't worry, it only gets worse.)

Youth Banquet

The youth banquet was last Friday and it was so much fun getting dressed up in our formal wear. Josh was busy playing some jazz / Charlie Brown's Christmas music all night, so I hung out with my girls. We had a great time and laughed a lot. For pics of us, click here and here. And for a snazzy shot of Josh and I, click here.

Most years the Youth Banquet takes 10 leaders 15 hours of prep each, but this year we went to ECC and had them take care of everything. It was so simple and their culinary students made really good food (don't you love this time of year?).

Work

Work has been really busy, but I have been doing a pretty good job of keeping it during the times that I need to. A lot of closings last week and a lot more this week, but it is good for us financially. Speaking of, we have paid off our big huge debt! Praise the Lord! So now we replenish our savings a bit and then we will tackle a much smaller debt, my car loan. Yea!

Brunette

I am now a brunette. And when I say brunette I mean I am a brunette like my sister Talitha. I have always wanted to try it and on Wednesday my hair guru and good friend Steph dyed my hair. I really love the color, but I am adjusting to having some dark tresses on my head instead of the blonde. And I am also adjusting to people completely shafting me when I walk by because they don't know who I am. And Josh is adjusting to people thinking he is cheating on me with another girl.

I don't have pictures now, but after this weekend I will put something up.

Wedding Festivites

Our long time friend, Anna Jacoby got married last night. It was a beautiful event. The reception was at Pheasant Run and everything was the best of the best. We wanted to stick around for dancing, but Josh was fighting a horrible cold and the main course wasn't served until 9:15pm (again, our poor daughter out so late!). The Jacoby's had asked Josh to play his trumpet during the processional, but a few days before the wedding they asked him to "take care of the music." Basically Josh played a zillion instruments and sang for various songs, and he did a great job. So we had two fun-filled busy nights that we were out and yet it was all worth it for Anna and Brian.

Selah

Selah is growing fine and is about 2lbs and 15 inches long. I am officially in my third trimester and am beginning to feel it. Last night I had to move to the couch in the middle of the night just because I couldn't get comfortable in the bed. She is a strong kicker, but Josh still says he hasn't felt her. How can you not feel something when I look at my belly and see a huge kick?

Charis

My little girl is so wonderful and is such a joy to have around. She has been such a trooper with all of our busyness this season. She has been having a great time with her grandparents. Here are some of the new things she is doing: Saying "Map!" when Dora asks, "Who do we ask for help when we don't know which way to go?", and putting up her arms in the "I don't know" way when we ask where someone or something is, and she even peed on the potty for the first time yesterday at Nana's! Ah, the simple and silly joys of being a parent.

Christmas Prep
With Christmas around the corner a lot of my time has been filled with much of the normal Christmas preparations. I have ordered and sent Christmas cards, made and delivered candy plates, bought and wrapped Christmas presents and planned for all the food I will be making and consuming over the next four days. However, I haven't taken the time to just sit down and reflect on what all this busyness is for. I had a great short-story book that tends to align my thinking that I haven't read yet. Please pray that I stop running around like Martha and start sitting like Mary.

What is to Come...

This weekend starts the kickoff of Christmas celebrations. I won't take away from future posts (haha - will there truly be future posts?), so I won't mention much here. Until then...

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Josh, Moriah and Charis

(and Selah - check out that belly!)