Happy 2008!

This has been the best Christmas vacation! We've stayed in central Arkansas the whole time. It's the first time I haven't traveled for Christmas (or Christmas break in college) since 1989.

Tonight Emmaleigh planned and cooked dinner (with a little help). We'll watch a movie, watch the ball drop on TV, and eat our "Happy New Year" cake (Em's idea).

Happy 2008!

Still reading...

I'm still trying to get through this book. It's like 800 pages. I've enjoyed it as I've read it sporadically, but now it's getting really good. I'm just about to the point of Lincoln's nomination as the Republican candidate for president. Man that Lincoln worked hard! While one of the other contenders was touring Europe FOR EIGHT MONTHS (!!) and another was sitting at home writing a few letters, Lincoln was working for what he wanted and for what he thought was best.

What as inspiration toward hard work, rigorous thinking, and clarity of communication!

Lots of leadership lessons in Lincoln's life.

Good wedding today

Debbie, Emmaleigh and I attended a wedding today of friends at Mosaic. It was good for several reasons:
1) The whole ceremony inspired not only the couple but everyone present to live out what God intends marriage to be.
2) Emmaleigh got to see her small group leader from her 4th grade class at church commit his life to serving his new wife.
3) Great music and worship moments.
4) The groom's cake was awesome chocolate.
5) With marriages on such shaky ground all around us, it was great to see these two so clearly commit to each other. They even signed a covenant of marriage in the ceremony and said in their vows not just "til death do us part" but also "I will never divorce you".
5) The pastor lightened up the mood at times. The bride and groom were Joseph and Molly. The pastor accidentally called them Joseph and Mary once in the wedding.

Good times...

A Hellen Christmas Eve

Little Rock Christmas Parade

Today we went to the Little Rock Christmas Parade, lighting of the capitol building and fireworks.

So it's not the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building (inside joke), but it's all we got... the Metropolitan Bank Building.




Susie was pretty serious about getting candy.


A few good floats... this one was spewing lots of nice fake snow...




The inside of the state capitol building was decorated beautifully.




JOY is her middle name.


My camera battery ran out before the lighting of the capitol and fireworks.

Fun day!