Happy New Year! and other random things

 This little guy celebrated New Year's Eve at home with his mommy and daddy. I heard it was a pretty wild night....

"Eh, I was just getting used to 2014....."

We celebrated the New Year with some good friends--games and lots of food, and when the time came, many, many awesome and incredibly dangerous fireworks, as is the tradition in Germany. There is no need to go watch "official" fireworks anywhere, every neighborhood sets off its own arsenal of fireworks that could rival any display you'd see in the US.

the crew before the big show

the neighborhood lighting it up

There were some other things over this wonderful Christmas break that I didn't add yet.

We had our annual cookie frosting extravaganza

We had some good friends over for a scaled-back version of Thanksgiving. We got to practice a little German but mostly they got to practice their English. :) If I could add a video, I'd show you Alyson and adorable little Lina speaking German to each other. So precious.

We had a shopping trip to Saarbrucken. The Middles had been waiting to get some their old favorites from the Marktplatz. Yum!

We visited Mainz-the beautiful cathedral, the Gutenberg museum, and a French cafe with eclairs and macaroons...

had fun playing with Christmas presents

Went to get Spaghetti Eis!

did a lot of resting up for the semester ahead

and got exhausted playing at Yabadoo.

And then it was the end. Alyson has gone home and the rest of us are (patiently) waiting for a space-available flight out soon. This time with them home refilled my heart enough to make it through til the next time. Our new baby completed our Christmas and as we head into the new year with its highs and lows and a bit of uncertainty, I am so inspired to BE. To abide. To be settled. And trust Him that everything we do has a purpose and fits into His plan. And to make knowing Him my primary focus.

The passage I have chosen to focus my heart on this year is John 15:4.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 

Happy New Year.