Charity lights the candle for Advent 2008

The title says it all. Emma and Christiana lit a candle too, but Jon skipped a reading before the lighting took place so I was scrambling for the camera. By the time I got it on and ready to take a photo, the other two were finished. Oh well, maybe next time.

A Thanksgiving Table

Well, there is no food on this table, but here is what it looked like before we ate. My older children are so talented in photography, I had to post this cool picture. Joel took this photo. We finally unloaded the camera, so that is why this photo is posted almost three weeks after Thanksgiving.

On the way home from church-by Beth

Here are two photos that Katie took on the way home from church in the van. Aren't they cute? Katie is very good at photography. She took all of Joel's senior pics as well as Joel's best friend Josh. The other is of Stephen sucking his lip while waiting for those teeth to begin to erupt.

Lighting the First Advent Candle-by Beth

It is the time of year for lighting the Advent candle again. This year our Johanna gets to light the first one. Here she is, so excited to have the priviledge. This is actually the second try for her. The first time her candle went out as she attempted to light the purple candle. So she went back to big brother Nathan who lighted it again, and she got the job done.
I can't believe we are looking forward to Christmas already. The year has literally flown by. I guess that with a birth to look forward to and recover from and a new baby to adjust to you tend to lose track of time. When he was three weeks old we began school again. Soccer season followed soon after, which was a whirlwind of activity. We are just now beginning to enjoy some nights home and the holidays are upon us. I have not baked one Christmas cookie, but I am fairly well finished with shopping and have a lot of wrapping done (thanks to some great help from Katie and Nathan). This week has been filled with running errands, like getting three boys shoes for basketball, and Jon ministering at the hospital for the past 4 evenings. Makes for late nights.
Nathan arrived home over a week ago and has been doing some projects around here like painting our family room ceiling and trying to fix his car. He has some Ohio rust on some parts in the undercarriage that need to be replaced and he is trying to find creative solutions. We are juggling cars too.
I hope to have some time to relax soon. I want to savor Stephen's babyhood. Right now it is time to nurse him.
Bye for now.