Christmas, Birthday, and Beyond

Happy New Year's Eve to everyone! I'm waiting for the carpet installers to come back to put in one last metal strip between our bedroom and bathroom and thought I'd share a few pictures with you from the last few days while I waited.

To say we haven't stopped is a huge understatement. We're trying to juggle visiting friends and family, enjoying the kids being home, and getting as much done on the house before January 8th which is when it will go on the market. I'm pretty sure Hamp will be glad to get back to work so he can rest.

I left you with him putting Matthew's foosball table together and Christmas morning found him and another one of Santa's helpers trying to get it finished before the boys got to our house. Yeah, that didn't happen.......



There was enough complete that Matthew got the idea and he was quite excited about the new addition for his empty living room along with a new ping pong table.



In spite of our family living in three different states, Santa found us all here in GA and we had a fun Christmas together. Tiffany was very excited about her gift, even though she knew it was coming. We've all had fun playing and competing against each other in various combinations.







Michael got his much anticipated iPhone and the 5 volume set of "The Summa Theologica" of St. Thomas Aquinas he had asked for. I don't fully appreciate the value of that particular gift, but he was quite excited.



December 26th is Hamp's birthday and we always try to make that a special time since it's right after Christmas. I didn't get many pictures taken, but here's one of the birthday boy who is once again older than I am!



Saturday we headed to Newnan to celebrate Christmas with Hamp's family who graciously waited so Tiffany and Michael could join us. Matthew had basketball coaching duties and couldn't be there, but we had a wonderful visit with the rest of the family. Here are Hamp's parents with them.



This is Hamp with his brothers. They can't deny their related, can they??



Christmas is always more fun with younger children around and we enjoyed being around our niece's family who has them in abundance! Her oldest and Tiffany were enjoying a moment having their picture taken.



Because the carpet was being replaced in the house on Monday, we spent Sunday afternoon and evening getting Christmas stuff taken down, sorted, and packed either to move or to give away.



Notice the excitement on Hamp's face. :) We're all quite over this whole process.



My wonderful husband let me escape the madness on Monday while the carpet was being replaced and the basement rooms were being repainted. I went with Tiffany to Greenville where she combined a business appointment with a visit to Furman University where she went to college. God gave us an absolutely perfect day of weather for travel and enjoying the beautiful campus. It was a much needed soul break.

This is the bell tower located on the back side of the small lake on Furman's campus and the school's main landmark.



One of the many lake inhabitants that adds to the beauty of the area.



We had fun taking pictures with such a beautiful day to enjoy.







This is one of my favorite pictures that Tiffany took. This bench has been where she and I have sat many times beginning Valentine's Day weekend in 1997 while she was at Furman for a scholarship audition and a college visit. We've chatted with God about many things over the course of the years on this bench and yesterday was no exception. While life hasn't turned out the ways we've dreamed about down through the years, God has indeed been faithful and in every detail. It's much easier now to just give Him the future and whatever it might hold because we're learning to trust more each day the One who holds the future.