Highlights of the Year!

We hope you had a blessed Christmas and New Year's!  We enjoyed having the chance to visit our families in Eastern Wisconsin this year to celebrate.  Last year we stayed at home trying to keep up with baby Hannah's arrival and several boxes still left to unpack from our Thanksgiving move.  Freedom to travel is very nice!

Here are some more reflections on what we are most thankful for over the past year of life and ministry:

*A healthy and strong family.  In spite of all the stressors of 2009 and maybe in part because of them, God has brought us closer to Him and each other than we ever have been.  Thanks for your faithful prayers for us!  Please keep them coming!

*Four new mentors in 2010.  We're thrilled with what this means!  Eight lives and families that God has brought together for a potential lifetime of ministry!
 
*14 life coaches going strong with their mentees.  God has given us amazing coaches!  I'm impressed with how they continue to persevere through the joys and trials of mentoring with an obvious love for their kids that flows both ways. 

*A summer job with UGMTC's Minneapolis Director.  What an opportunity to learn about what goes into reaching the inner-city poor from a wonderful leader and organization like UGMTC!

*A monthly financial support increase from 45% to about 90% of our goal.  Back in June our support level was only at 60% and it looked like I might need to leave the ministry to find other part-time work but God provided significantly in July and August through giving and contributions to our big yard sale!  Thanks to everyone who was and continues to be involved!

*Seminary life continues to be rewarding.  I'm being challenged and grown in a variety of ways, and it's great to see it overflow into our family.  Especially good, was the 36 hours of pastoral care I had the chance to be part of at Maranatha Home in Brooklyn Center this past year.  Please pray for wisdom and God's provision for internship opportunities for me in the coming year.

Now, this wouldn't be a blog without some pictures. So here's a quick photo journal of some of the year's family fun:

Newborn Hannah and her high energy siblings in January.

Hannah and Julie's Grandpa, during her first traveling experience in February.

This is how we do dishes in our house!
You can imagine what the floor looks like when we're done :)

Hannah-bear in one of our frequent trips to Como Zoo.

Gotta love the tranquility of video time.
With cousins Eva, Grace, and Stephen in Chicago in April. 

One of our trips to the airport.
Who knew this pic would turn to be out so handy for a blog?

One of the many play times with our Albanian neighbor Emi.

Hannah showing some enthusiasm.

Another Como trip.  This time with my parents.

Hannah in a cute moment.

A visit to Julie's mom in July with a tired little girl.

We stayed home this Thanksgiving and rode the Mayflower Hide-a-Bed to Plymouth Rock. 

12/14, first birthday and first cake.  She's a cleaner eater than her brothers at that age but shares their "frosting first" mentality :)

Snow fort fun with cousins.  And the boys say good-bye to their new cousin Aklilu -- who was just adopted from Ethiopia by my sister and brother-in-law.  Both he and Levi had their first experience riding bikes on Christmas week!

Hope you enjoyed this little taste of life and ministry from the past year.  

God is good!  Have a blessed New Year!