Merry Christmas!

In a few days we'll be spending memorable time with family and friends to celebrate Christ's birth. I pray that while it will be a busy few days, we keep the focus on Christ, intentionally connect with those we love, and capture some great memories to reflect on during the long winter months ahead.

Here's some of our top highlights of 2011:

• Celebrating Isaac's 2nd birthday complete with a train cake.
• A trip to Vegas with Jason to attend the 2011 Tool Fair.
• A memorable weekend at a cabin with my family.
• A wonderful Family Reunion over 4th of July to celebrate Grandpa's 85th birthday.
• Camping weekends -- while not numerous, they were a great time to unplug and enjoy the beauty of God's creation.
• Being able to buy our new acreage this spring and successfully selling our home in the cities this fall.
• Transistions! Moving to a new community, adjusting from the suburbs to a rural area, staying home full time after 7.5 yrs at my previous job, Isaac no longer in his routine at daycare.
• Experiencing the excitement of Christmas through the eyes of our almost 3 year old.
• After Christmas, we'll be celebrating 10 years of marriage!

2012 will be here before we know it!

Advent Waiting

The season of Advent for me has always been a time focused on to waiting, watching and preparing our hearts to celebrate Christ's birth. Honestly waiting is hard for me. I'm not talking about waiting in line or waiting on hold or waiting for my husband to get home late at night. Its the waiting with an unknown timeline. Waiting for a prayer to be answered, waiting for the right job opportunity, waiting for the house to sell, waiting, waiting, waiting. Even "good waiting" is hard for me, like waiting the 9 months to meet my little boy for the first time. Even though my head knows I'm not in control, part of me would really like life to happen on a set schedule -- something God has had to teach me about over and over again!

Several years ago I heard a tough sermon during Advent -- not about patiently waiting, but celebrating the waiting. Its something I've pondered over and over since... when I really want the waiting to just be over, then how am I celebrating, treasuring the season of waiting? I'm not. I'm sure I've heard this same general idea in sermons many times over, but this particular sermon happened during a very hard season of waiting for me. I remember the pastor greeting us as we left church with a comment about "joyful waiting". I cried all the way home. I was tired of waiting. Waiting is hard.

Our family is entering a new season of waiting this Advent. We are starting the adoption process to add a new child to our family. There will certainly be waiting with an unknown timeline. Sure there will be much praying, paperwork, interviews, trainings, more praying, and more paperwork to help fill the waiting, but we'll still be waiting. We covet your prayers during the waiting, for discernment in the many decisions and peace as we travel on this journey. Help us remember to celebrate the waiting!

(We are still very early in the adoption process. If you'd like to know more, stay tuned to this blog for occasional updates or send us a note.)

Welcome to "Life on the Gravelly Road"

I'm starting this blog for a number of reasons (I know that probably breaks some good blogging rule). I also want to say up front that I am not a writer.

With our recent move from the cities to a rural area and transitioning from working full time as a programmer to staying home with my son, I want to be intentional to reflect, to celebrate the funny moments, and to document some of our special times a long the way. Thanks for joining me and welcome!

About the title: My son calls our road "the gravelly road" and it is how he knows we are on our way home. He often asks me, "Mom, is this the way to the gravelly road?" I pray our home remains a place where he longs to return with distinctive qualities he remembers.