Merry Christmas!

I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas!  This has been a really fun week!  It started off with a great Sunday with lots of festivities including Christmas choir, house group, and a sleepover!  On Monday I traveled to Ohio to be with my folks.  I have had some relaxing days here at their house with their foster girls.  We have watched Christmas movies and played on the the Wii Fit Plus. 

Yesterday I had a very productive day.  I helped make chocolate covered creams, shortbread, and Russian teacakes.  I even had a small ding in my windshield repaired.  Throughout the day I was reminded of things that I love about being in the States as well as things I miss about being in Kazakhstan.  I miss my family and friends in Kazakhstan.  I miss getting to celebrate New Years with the children at the orphanages and with my Kazakh family.  When I shopped this year, it brought back memories of shopping for hundreds of orphans. 

I will have to say that yesterday a few of the conveniences of being here in the States stood out to me.  In order to get the ding in my windshield repaired all I had to do was make a quick phone call.  They then came over on the same afternoon (to the house) and repaired it.  It was great!  It took me five minutes to set it up and the guy was here 15 minutes fixing it.  I was also reminded of the conveniences of life in the States when my mom and I picked up powdered sugar for some of my favorite cookies.  We were able to buy all we needed at one store and even found 2lb bags.  It made making some of my favorite cookies much easier! 

Even with all the conveniences of being here in the States, this time of year causes me to look back and remember some very good times with close friends in Kazakhstan.  Although I am thrilled to be spending the first Christmas in four years with my family, I know that when New Years comes, I will be missing my Kazakh family even more. 

I mailed out a Christmas letter a week or two ago in order to update everyone on where things are for me ... if you didn't receive one and would like to, please let me know.  I might not have your current mailing address.  Merry Christmas!