May the ones you LOVE be near *Part 1

Christmas is a time of gathering with those you love- attending parties, traveling, enjoying the break from school and time off from work, just being together. This Christmas season I'll be missing my family. I was thinking of all the holiday parties that I'm not going to be able to attend. And that five hour car ride to Illinois with my family, to visit my grandparents and other family members. I am sure going to miss that- I love road trips!

God knows that I like to stay busy so, of course, I shouldn't have worried about missing out on all the parties back home. This Christmas season God has filled with parties and many, many wonderful people. The families that I've met here are so welcoming and so loving. I'm included, even though they hardly know me! 

Tuesday night we attended a small gathering at the home of another missionary family. This family arrived at the beginning of this school year. They lived in the states three years before moving to Haiti and before living in the states, they were missionaries in Papua New Guinea. They are adjusting to Haiti too. And like myself, some days are better than others for them. Their girls are Laura and Sarah, whom I've become great friends with. Laura and Sarah are so full of happiness and joy. Another missionary family was there as well. This family only has one daughter, Anna, still at home. She is also a very, very funny girl. Anna, Laura, Sarah, Natasha, and Taressa are all around the same age and great friends. Whenever they are around each other they are always laughing. 

So, you can imagine our night when all of us were together. It was the girls- Anna, Laura, Sarah, Joy (Laura and Sarah's sister, visiting from the states), Natasha, Taressa, Malieke, and I- along with Micah and their youth group leader, Marc. I have never laughed so much in one night! Story after story, comment after comment had everyone laughing! We ate hamburgers and potato salad for dinner and then played some games. At the end of the night we played the game "signs" with the adults. If you've never played the game before, I highly recommend it. All in all it was a wonderful night of fellowship! I'm looking forward to spending more time with these families.

{Picture coming...soon}

Wednesday afternoon I had my friend and fellow youth group leader, Katie, over. We baked 48 cupcakes and two loaves of banana bread. The holidays just wouldn't be the same without baking food! I really enjoy doing all the baking (and Ruth doesn't mind the help). Katie spent the night and we talked for hours. We mostly talked about God and shared our stories with each other. Her closest friends are from high school and she likes to run and she blogs and she is artistic and she has a passion for the youth group....we have so much in common. I know that Katie is going to be one of my great friends!