a good day...

today was a really good day. no particular reason really...just a good day.

went to church...spoke a little mongolian (THAT was encouraging)...saw my kids loved on by our church family...afterward went to look at a building we're going to rent for some future ministry opportunities...but not before we were invited in for some salty milk tea and sour yogurt chunks (i somehow avoided those...chris was not so lucky).

so nothing special really...just my life...as a missionary...living in mongolia...drinking salty milk...speaking another language...and realizing i'm seriously the most BLESSED person in the world to be living it!!

i needed a day like today...because for some reason...for the last week or so...i've felt a little intimidated by the very things that today were such a blessing...

so...i don't know why me...but thanks God!

merry christmas!!

i sat wrapping gifts last night...picturing my kids' faces as they opened them...and i couldn't WAIT for christmas morning! i'm not sure which is better really...BEING a kid at christmas...or HAVING kids at christmas!

hope you all have a wonderful and merry merry christmas day!

we just moved in...AGAIN!!

friday...after five very LONG months of waiting...our crates FINALLY CAME!!!!!! almost everything in them was old...but still it was like christmas before christmas! abby and cj have been playing with their "new" toys non-stop and i'm thinking...why am i getting them christmas presents again!??

even though our apartment looks like we just moved in...AGAIN! (THAT part i could do without!!)...we can't stop talking about how amazing it is to have familiar things surrounding us. from picture frames to old storybooks...we now feel an even deeper sense of comfort in our new home .

saturday we went sledding in the countryside...today started a two week winter break from school...tomorrow we can finally decorate for christmas...and i'm thanking God for the little things!

finding her way...

for about a month now, abby has been going to kids' church with chris on saturday mornings...to hang out with some of the mongolian kids in our church. at first she was incredibly intimidated...usually all the kids would get all excited and surround her...speaking a mile a minute in mongolian and playing with her hair...needless to say she spent most of the time with her head buried in our shoulder.

THIS saturday...however...was a breakthrough. suddenly...for whatever reason...she opened up and participated. she sat with the kids...sang the songs...danced and played. at one point she looked at chris and said, "i'm so lucky to have all these friends!" that just makes my heart SOAR!!!!!! i can't TELL you how excited i am that she is FINALLY feeling a part of things here.

guess we're ALL finding our way and making mongolia "home".