Happy New Year!

Can it already be January of 2013? So much has happened in this last year and so much of it just in the last 5 weeks.

Waiting for Uncle Tony's Arrival...

Tony did come to visit at the beginning of December and although our fun filled week was down-graded to some entertaining outings on account of Joel working impromptu at Seven Lakes High School for a week, it was great. We toured Galveston, saw Dolphins, hit up the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and gorged ourselves on some legit home-made tacos.

The kids on the beach in Galveston with Pleasure Pier on the Horizon

Fairy ride to Bolivar where we same many dolphins and played on the beach!

It was great to have a piece of home here and Tony, who is really more of a brother and an uncle, being around was as the British might say, capital. Please notice that we now find home in people. People from our past, our present and yes even our future. We have discovered that home is no longer defined by geographical location but by the people that we were born to, the people we are lucky to call family and the people we are even luckier to call our friends. Even as I type God continues to displace our hearts from what we have ever known as home and prepare us for what I can only assume is the humble beginnings of a life dedicated solely to His kingdom. 

December 3, 2012 marked the two anniversary of our accident. While we look back with sorrow for the Larson's and the loss that they continue to feel with each passing day, we look back also with remembrance at the opportunity God gave us to better serve Him. Each day that we wake on this earth is a gift and I encourage anyone who reads this to strive daily not to take it for granted. Don't wait until tragedy strikes to glean this simple bit of knowledge, act now in this new year and make each day count for God, for your spouse and for your children. As I reread this even now I'm secretly hoping Mandy doesn't read it and out me as a failure. Even with the knowledge of how quickly life changes or ends I fall short but I remain hopeful in what the Lord can do and who He can make me and my family for His kingdom.

On December 8, 2012 Joel's college graduation came and went. While I was steadfast in remaining absent for any formal ceremonies, I will admit that when the day came I was a little disappointed on account of missing the formalities a graduation from higher education had offered. I now eagerly await my diploma so that I may have proof that I not only finished something I started, but that I have continued, with my wife and my children, down a path we believe the Lord has set before us. In my head right now I am naming people who boldly declared that I would not finish and smiling smugly to myself with the giddy satisfaction of an overweight child indulging in his third piece of cake without the permission of his nanny. Yet again I fall short and add yet another disapproving nod from Jesus right before he begrudgingly allows me to enter heaven on a trial basis.

Somewhere between Tony leaving and the rest of the Berry's arriving we moved into our over-priced town-home West of the city. One morning after just moving in Mandy found a pile of tiny little ants by the door to our 8 square foot patio. Upon further investigation we realized that the ants were really on our side and they were in-fact helping us by feasting on the corpse of small roach. Ahhh the good life. Really though, it's clean, gated, pretty safe and will do just fine until June.

Out humble abode

Adam, Holly and crew came in a whirlwind of chaos and fun and Christmas Day and left in the same fashion at midnight on the 30th. We managed to fit in Galveston, Rice University, The Chocolate Bar, La Kings, a Pirate Museum, Tennis, a lot of great food, some cards and a good old fashioned game of Jerk! Needless to say on the other side of it, half the Colston family is sick and Mandy and I are in a constant state of panic due to sleep deprivation and depleted ibuprofen stock piles. 

Ma Berr'ys brilliant impression of Will Ferrel in "Elf"

From Terminal A to Terminal C
Christmas @ Bush

Galveston, Texas

Galveston, Texas 

Pirate Museum 

They were having fun, we swear! :)

Rice University

Only Uncle Adam!

Midnight right before Adam & Holly hit the road to El Paso, Texas

It was a blast. But all good things must come to an end and you know what they say about too much of a good thing...Anyway, great memories were made and Mandy and I could not have been more blessed to have everyone here together even if for a short time!

Ma & Pa Berry are here until January 10 and we are looking forward to another week full of adventure. We have slept in until noon a couple of times and replenished the store houses with over-the-counter pain meds. All is well that's drugged well or something...

We rang in the new year with sparklers and Shirley Temple classics (the movies not the beverages). Yes you read that correctly. Hard to believe my sister and I came from the same place. No I'm not jealous of her fantastic photos lacing the blue pages of a popular social media site. Yes, yes I am. Darn you jealousy, why do you plague my ever wandering heart? Why must though rear thy ugly head, driving a wedge between siblings? That's probably enough drama for one post... Well here's to 2014 and a sweet plan to ring in the new year with a little more pizzaz or at least more sparklers!

Joel has an interview on Monday, January 7th that if goes well will provide a full-time job until the end of the school year. YEAH!!! We would appreciate your prayers asking only that God's will be done as we know that He is our great provider and no other resource can really quite compare. If however He does provide this job, He will also need to provide an additional vehicle as this school is about 30 minutes away from our apartment. So throw up a prayer or two for that as well.

With 2012 in rear view mirror and, contrary to popular belief and the ever-luming Mayan calendar, 2013 getting settled in; from our family to yours we hope that this year will be your best yet. May God bless you and keep you and may you find purpose and joy in everything you do. God Bless and Happy New Year!!!

Disclaimer: it's 1:43am. Due to ths fct, I'm tired and did not porof raed the pvireous post. Pealse frgive any grammatical or spelling errors and know that dreeges don't actually make you smrter they just laern you eogunh to get wneekdes off. Thank you and goodnight...