Happy New Year!

This year has been a rough one. We've had so many things that brought us stress. Church struggles, financial struggles, health struggles, you name it.
But God has kept us, and blessed us and I am so thankful for that.
I am looking forward to 2007. I believe it will be a year of great blessing for our church and our family, and I pray that it will be a year of blessing for all of you, too.
Thank you to all of my friends who have prayed for me and my family and my church this year.
I couldn't have made it without you.

May God bless you and keep you.

Kendra

Another Personality Test

Advanced Global Personality Test Results

Extraversion |||||||||||||| 60% Stability |||||||||| 33% Orderliness |||||||||||||| 60% Accommodation |||||||||||||||| 70% Interdependence |||||||||||||||| 70% Intellectual |||||| 23% Mystical |||||||||||| 43% Artistic |||||||||| 36% Religious |||||||||||||||||||| 90% Hedonism || 10% Materialism |||||| 30% Narcissism |||||||||||| 50% Adventurousness |||| 16% Work ethic |||||||||||| 50% Self absorbed |||||| 30% Conflict seeking || 10% Need to dominate |||||||||||| 50%

Romantic |||||||||||||| 56% Avoidant |||||| 30% Anti-authority |||||| 30% Wealth |||||| 30% Dependency |||||||||||||| 56% Change averse |||||||||||||| 56% Cautiousness |||||||||||| 43% Individuality |||||||||||| 50% Peter pan complex || 10% Physical security |||||||||||||||| 70% Physical Fitness |||||||||| 37% Histrionic |||||| 23% Paranoia |||||||||||| 43% Vanity |||||||||||| 43% Hypersensitivity |||||||||||||| 56% Female cliche |||||||||||| 43%

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Nearing the End

The end of this sickness is in sight. FINALLY. Scott is pulling out of it and I seem to be just fine. Kelsey is full of vim and vigor, and rarin' to go. Merry seems okay. No more fever or any other symptoms. Whew, what a relief!
Now I have to get back into the swing of things and clean up this germ-ridden house!

Wish me luck!

Kendra

Update on Our Sickness

Now Scott is sick. He's been vomiting all morning, NOT good.
Merry just came into the kitchen with VERY rosy cheeks, and I felt her head. She has a fever. Hope she only has that and no flu symtoms.
Kelsey is feeling better, and I am still weak and a little nauseated. Don't know if we'll make it to church tomorrow...almost naptime here, so I'll sign off for now.
Keep us in your prayers.

Kendra

Sickness

It has hit us full force...the flu. First Kelsey, now me....who will be next, I wonder?
Say a prayer. This is a wicked flu. Hope none of you get it.
I think I'm going to go change back into my jammies.

Kendra

Christmas For Christ Recordings

Here are the recordings you all have been waiting for.
One of them is my mom, singing a solo, "Not That Far From Bethlehem".
The other is me, singing, "Heaven's Child".

I hope you enjoy them. Sorry it took me so long to post them!

Not That Far to Bethlehem (1.1 MB)

Heaven's Child (2.9 MB)

My Diamond Ring

Scott finally got me a diamond. I thought it would never happen, so I didn't believe him when it tumbled out of a plastic egg that I found in my stocking.
He told me he went to the dollar store to get stuff for my stocking, so I assumed it was a dollar store ring, until it clunked against something in my stocking pile! I was totally in shock, and it took me quite a few minutes to remember to kiss my handsome hubby! He is definitly the best husband ever.
Thanks, baby!


My New Ring 

Santa Claus Came to Town (from New Jersey!)

Yes, there really is a Mrs. Claus! Okay, she comes in the form of my mother-in-law, clear from New Jersey! Did you see that pile of loot, mostly for my kids?
Thanks, Mom, for giving us a very Merry Christmas! (Oh...and Dad...but not for THAT CERTAIN GIFT!)
We had a blast watching the girls open all those gifts on Christmas morning!


Santa Came! 

Christmas Eve

Here are my cute girls on Christmas Eve in their new nightgowns. They were sooo excited! Can you tell?


Christmas Eve 

Kelsey's Cheesy Smile

Kelsey is becoming quite the poser. Love that cheesy grin!


Kelsey's Cheesy Smile 

Kelsey and Poppy (and Chloe)

Here is Kelsey with her Poppy Lynn. Chloe, our mini schnauzer is sitting waiting for a bite of something. Kelsey LOVES her Poppy!


Kelsey and Poppy (and Chloe) 

Scott and His Cutie-Pies

I love this pic of my man and his girls!


Daddy and His Girls 

Merry's Special Gift

Merry asked Santa for a "Ariel the Mermaid Princess Married Doll with her Guy". She also wanted Santa to wrap her gift in yellow paper with a red bow. Grammy Roberts did a GREAT job finding and wrapping her gift. Merry was THRILLED!


Merry's Special Gift 

Katie and Me

This is my beautiful, skinny sister. I love her to death. We are the best of friends, and never, ever fight. (anymore, anyway.)
I love her so much!


Me and My Beautiful Sister 

Grampy and His Kids

My kids LOVE their Grampy! Isn't this a cute pic of all of them? They had so much fun opening gifts and playing together.


Grampy's Kids 

Christmas Cousins

Here are Merry, Zach and Kelsey. They were so excited to be celebrating Christmas!
I think they are the three of the cutest kiddos ever.


Christmas Cousins 

Dr. Zach

Here is my nephew in his new Dr. Zach getup!
He loved pushin' around that little cart with all his stuff!
But he thought the notepad was for taking orders, not diagnosing. Oh well.


Dr. Zachariah 

Kelsey's New Jacket 

Merry's New Jacket 

Merry 

Kelsey 

Christmas Hugs 

Christmas For Christ Sunday

Here are a few pics of my sweet ones on CFC Sunday. They were all dolled up in their Christmas dresses, and so sweet!


Christmas For Christ Sunday 

Pretty in Purple

Here's Kelsey, posing as usual. I just thought she looked so cute in this purple getup!


Pretty in Purple 

Kelsey's Princess Pose 

Merry's Princess Pose 

Merry, The Star of Bethlehem

Here is Merry, in her school Christmas program. She got to be the Star of Bethlehem. I think she was the cutest star I've ever seen! (I might be biased.)


Merry, holding the Star of Bethlehem 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, all! Hope you are having a beautiful Christmas Day.
We are celebrating with Scott's parents, who came in from New Jersey.
They came loaded down with wonderful gifts for all of us.
The girls have more stuff than they know what to do with, and I am looking
forward to shopping some, maybe as soon as tomorrow!
(I LOVE gift cards, don't you?)
Anyway, I hope you are all full and warm and satisfied today.

May God bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you and give you peace.

Kendra

p.s. OH! My best gift today? Scott bought me a GORGEOUS diamond ring! More on that later...

CFC Service

Well, our Christmas For Christ service went VERY well! Thanks to all of you for asking and also for saying a prayer for me.
I am hoping to get the recordings tonight and post them perhaps tomorrow.
Things went very smoothly, and we really didn't have any glitches that I could see.

Thanks to everyone who helped me out last Sunday! You are all greatly appreciated!
And thanks to the young adults for doing such an incredible job on your song! Your signing was great.

I will post songs and maybe some pictures later.

Kendra

Christmas For Christ

Tomorrow is our Christmas For Christ service at church. This is the one Sunday every year where we bring gifts to Jesus. Each family brings a wrapped offering, and places it in the manger. The offering is used to help start new churches, and sometimes part of the offering is used to help our own church. This year, we will be giving part of the offering for other churches and keeping part to help us with our building fund. We have been renting a building for seventeen years, and it is our dream to have our own building someday in the near future.

Also, on this particular Sunday, we have our Christmas program. This includes special songs by the choir, kids' choir, and soloists. We also have a narration or play, depending on the year.
This year, I have nine songs planned. One of them is part of a puppet show. Another is done is sign language. The choir is singing four songs, and the kids' choir is singing two. In addition to these, I am singing two solos. I can feel the pressure building!
I know that God will bless our efforts, I just hope all goes smoothly.
But no matter how it goes, our purpose is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and to worship Him.

I will give you all an update after things calm down.
Say a prayer for me, please!

Kendra

Caroling

Tomorrow our church is going to a nursing home here in the area. We will be doing some caroling and we put together some Christmas goodie bags for the people in the home.
I (with the help of my good friend, Amy!) put together about 75 goodie bags tonight.
Whew.
I didn't realize how much work it takes to organize that many bags of stuff!
Thankfully Amy came to my rescue, and the work was done if half the time.

I'm looking forward to the caroling tomorrow.
The elderly in nursing homes always enjoy singing and people visiting.
I try to bring my kids when we go do stuff like this because it never fails, children ALWAYS bring a smile.

Sunday night, after church, we are having a youth and young adults Christmas party at our house.
That will also be loads of fun!
Scott has a "marshmellow gun" that he made, (okay...NUMEROUS marshmellow guns!) and we will be having marshmellow gun wars out in the yard. I will try to capture a few pictures and post them for your enjoyment.

Take care, and everyone have a marvellous weekend!

Feelin' Jolly

Okay. Thanks to all that gave suggestions to get me in the holiday mood. :) They are working!
I wrapped a ton of gifts last night, and that certainly made me feel a bit jollier.
I also bought a couple gifts today, and listened to Christmas music, and I'm planning out my dessert menu for a Christmas party on Sunday night.

Feelin' better now...thanks, friends!

Kendra

'Tis The Season to be Jolly

So, I want to take a poll. How many of you feel "jolly" this Christmas season?
I am JUST NOW getting into the holiday spirit. For some reason it has been rather difficult for me to get into the swing of things this year.
I have been listening to Christmas music since October, trying to prepare for our Christmas program at church. I have a huge stack of gifts hidden away in the basement, ready for Christmas Day, and they've been there for a month already!

Is anyone else having trouble being jolly this holiday?

Just curious...it might just be me!

Kendra