Merry Christmas!

This year for something different we decided to do our Christmas newsletter online! I hope you'll enjoy the quiz. That's right, it's a quiz! But don't worry, I'll provide you with the correct answers, and you won't get graded.

1. Where did we go on vacation this year?
a. Nowhere, we were too busy
b. Myrtle Beach
c. Panama City Beach, Florida
d. Providence, Rhode Island

If you guessed d, Providence, Rhode Island then you're right! Our Italan exchange student sister, Sonia, has been living there and she found her a handsome American fella and married him! We went up there for a week for the wedding and for vacation with Chris' family.

It was so wonderful to be with Sonia and Patrick for their wedding.  Most of Sonia's family from Italy came over too.  We were so thrilled to be able to spend some time with them!


2. While we were on vacation we visited a historic summer home. Whose summer home is this?
a. President Roosevelt
b. President Eisenhower
c. Sarah Palin
d. President Carter

If you guessed President Dwight D. Eisenhower then you guess correctly!!! We were meandering around Newport, RI when we saw a sign to his summer home. And considering the fact that Chris aka "Ike" is distantly related to him we had to go! The home was really lovely, but it was closed at the time so we couldn't go in. But the view of the water from the porches was fabulous. I completely understand why he built that house there.

3. While we were on vacation, what anniversary did we celebrate?
a. our 18th
b. our 15th
c. our 20th
d. our 19th




If you guessed our 20th, then you're right yet again. Can you believe it?!? We've been married for 20 years now. WOW! We actually went up to Rhode Island earlier than some of Chris' family so we could have a little time to ourselves. It was so nice. We stayed at a bed and breakfast in Newport and really enjoyed walking around and exploring the town.

Chris and I at dinner on our anniversary.


4.  This summer we did something that most of our friends thought was crazy.  What was it?
a.  We went tent camping with Marty
b.  We went skydiving together
c.  We took Marty white water rafting with us
d.  We ran a marathon





If you guessed going tent camping with Marty then you're a winner!  Our church family in Virginia go camping every summer at Natural Bridge.  It sounded like so much fun year after year that we decided to go.....and take Marty with us.  He got to meet his doggie cousins and did great!  We really had a fabulous time with everyone there and plan to make it a yearly tradition!

This was he view from our tent.  It was pure heaven!


5.  Last weekend we did our cookie extravaganza with friends again.  How many cookies did we make?
a.  800
b. 900
c. 1200
d. 1000


Yep, those guesses are in the range.  We made a total of 1200 cookies!!!!  I know it's a bit insane.  But we have fun making them.  What do we do with those cookies?  We take them to family members, work friends and other friends.  Believe it or not, most of our 600 cookies that we took home with us are almost gone!

Here's what the cookie table looked like...and that wasn't all of the cookies either.

6.  This past May Nashville saw tons of flooding.  Thankfully we were okay.  But we know many people who lost everything and are just now starting to get back into their homes.  How much rain do you think Nashville got in a 48 hour period?
a. 10 inches
b. 19 inches
c. 20 inches
d. 15 inches



Nashville saw a total of 19 inches of rain in a 48 hour period.  It was the most insane thing we've ever experienced.  It just wouldn't stop raining.

That's it for the pop quiz part!

This year hasn't been all fun.  It's actually been a difficult year for us.  In May Chris started having frequent, severe headaches.  After several trips to our family physician, he was referred to a neurologist.  The neurologist did several tests and couldn't find anything major wrong....praise the Lord for that.  But after several months he decided he wasn't the best doctor for Chris.  So now Chris has started seeing a Neuroscientist who specializes in headaches.  This doctor is pretty amazing.  Unfortunately Chris is still having severe daily headaches and has been having them for almost eight months now. We continue to pray that he will get relief very soon.

My side of the family has seen a lot of loss this year.  This summer my Dad's first cousin, LD, died unexpectedly and my Great Uncle Harry died unexpectedly in October.  But the biggest loss we suffered was the death of my sweet Grandmother in September. My Grandma had been in a nursing home and in poor health for several years.  On September 11 she went home to heaven.  The blessing is that she is not suffering or in pain any more and she is fully healed.

We have been blessed to spend lots of time with our family this year.  We went on vacation with Chris parents, spent Easter with my Mom and Doug and his family in Atlanta, and had several visitors here in Nashville this year.

Next year is already shaping up to be a busy one.  Chris will go with the Gideon's on an eight day scripture blitz to Ecuador in January.  He is really looking forward to his first international scripture distribution.  Please keep him in your prayers as he travels next month.

We want to thank each of you for your love and support.  You are in our thoughts and prayers for a blessed 2011!

Since Marty didn't make the Christmas card photo this year, here's a special picture of him just for you!

Merry Christmas!