Christmas

Quite obviously I don't keep everyone updated very well ~ SORRY! I am going to try to get a few new posts up this week to tell you all of some of the things that have been going on around here lately.

Here are some pictures from our Christmas get together. We had a wonderful day (even though we were away from family in the States). We were able to meet with our "new family" here in Taiwan. Tad and I celebrated our Christmas together in the morning and in the afternoon we went over to the Delaney's house for the remainder of the day. I was able to cook my very first turkey for dinner ... Yum, yum!! :o) (thankfully it turned out very well!) We had a great day and are so thankful for the new friendships the Lord has brought us into.

We thought of family throughout the holidays ... here are our family photos with all the Christmas cards that were sent our way.


Our "Christmas Lizard" - taking care of all the bugs in the house.


The Delaney girls (Susannah and Julia) and I ... our craft gift


Here is my very first beautiful, delicious looking turkey :o)


Our greatest surprise ... gifts from home!! When we arrived at the house, the Delaney's kept saying we should open our stockings. At the first glance under the tree I exploded with excitement as I saw a very familiar sight ... mom's handmade stockings. Thankfully I didn't start crying (although it was an emotional moment). What a wonderful surprise!

December's Youth Outing

This is our latest outing with our youth group. The purpose of it was to pass out fliers for our Christmas program and to have a fun time of fellowship to follow. We were successful on all counts! :o) First we met at the church. The foreigners learned a phrase which would enable them to give the flier to someone and invite them to our program. Then we divided up into 4 teams, so each team could target a different area of town. Next we prayed and hit the road, excited to pass out our invitations. Each group did a wonderful job and passed out all the fliers that were given. We are so excited to see how the Lord will bless for our Christmas concert. If you think to pray for it, our program will be held Saturday the 22nd at 7:30pm (you can also pray for me - I'm singing in it in Chinese - YIKES!). After passing out the fliers we all gathered together again at the Delaney's home for a fun night of fellowship. We played games, made pizzas, the girls made cookies (sort of), and we had a great time to just hang out with each other. The Lord has blessed us with a great 6 months with our youth and are very excited to see growth in them!

Here are the girls making cookies - Stacie, Gloria, and Susannah


The other bunch of girls mixing up some cookies - Ruth, Teresa, and Esther


Here are the boys and their pizzas - Jay, Daniel, Tad, Jackie, and Josh


The girls (and Stanley) making thier pizzas - Gloria, Stanley, Teresa, Elizabeth, Julia, and Esther


Here was the most unique pizza of the night - topped with oranges - made by Leo


Here are the boys -
Bottom (left to right): Jackie, Daniel, Tad, and Leo
Middle: Jay, Josh, and Carl
Top: Harry


Here are the girls -
Back (left to right): Gloria, Susannah, me, Teresa, Stacie, and Esther
Front: Lydia, Lillian, Esther, Elizabeth, Julia, and Ruth

Wo de jia

Wo de jia ... our house. Let me take you around our new house. We are on the 3rd floor in a 12 story apartment building. It has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It is both nicer and bigger than our last home (the north wood trailer). :o) We have met a couple of our neighbors and have daily contact with our “guard lady”. We only live 2 blocks from the church – great walking distance! It takes about 5 minutes to get to the church and we take multiple trips there a day. We don’t have much of a view, but enjoy the occasional peek out the windows (particularly the bedroom). That is the ‘perch’ that I view the stray dogs that are always around, always barking, and always chasing each other around. We have been able to see construction process out the bedroom window and from the porch. I’m sure it will be pretty big scene changes for the Hanna’s. We are so thankful for the blessing it is to be here and to be so well provided for – especially in our lodging!

Thanksgiving Love Feast at Conerstone

We were finally able to experience our first Love Feast at Conerstone. I didn't have to spend the day in the Emergency room with Tad like the last scheduled Love Feast. :o) Just a quick explanation ... Love Feast is a direct Biblical translation(what 'good' Baptists call a Potluck). We had a great time of food, fellowship, and more food. It was a great time to spend with different members of the church just talking and having a good time. Nothing like having two Thanksgiving meals, one right after the other. :o) We look forward to our next Love Feast.