Matchstic Christmas

so last night matchstic finally had its christmas party (sometimes referred to as the "celebrate the new year" party) and whatnot. it was awesome. there was a little pre-game stress but once everyone got there, we had a blast. as someone who has been around that house when it's all boys, i love it when the wives come, because then the boys stop calling each other names and being pissy with each other and everyone has a great time. although there is still some lighthearted banter (how do you expect gern to sit at a table with dishes and not use his favorite one-liner "i love plates, but i hate bowles" - john bowles being one of the designers). but at the end of the day, they really are a family.

anyway, i haven't done a top 8/bottom 4 in a while so i figured now would be a good time...

top 8:

1. gern winning the name game by having a name no one could remember

2. bowles being "poo poo face" in the name game

3. "c'mon, julie, did you fart?" - nick to bowles' wife 

4. any game that involves putting on kevlar gloves and a helmet

5. an awesome steak dinner - everyone did an amazing job 

6. craig saying something so inappropriate it had to be passed around the table in a whisper

7. finally getting to meet alvin

8. the most lively discussion about the movie "the 3 musketeers" i've ever seen. talk about an all star cast

bottom 4:

1. having tomato soup explode out of the blender: made a huge mess and burned me all at the same time

2. saying there was no way i would get into a game that involved gloves and a helmet (never say that, the excitement will make you do things)

3. not being able to finish that ridiculous steak

4. i really wanted to wrap something in bacon and david said no cause gern was making bacon cheddar mashed potatoes. so i switch to tomato soup. what does gern show up with? potato and tomato gratin. i really wanted my bacon! david.

Joel...3 Years Later

so in the spring of 2006, i made a huge decision. i went to this children's choir thing in auburn one night with my friend courtney. we were both just learning about invisible children and the situation that faces uganda (especially children) - then and now. this children's choir wasn't just any children's choir. it was a choir made up of ugandan children who had been put together by africa renewal ministries to travel america and raise awareness for their children sponsorship program.

i walked in expecting to see some really cute kids, thinking "i really want to adopt some day..." and i walked out having made the decision to sponsor joel...sweet, precious joel. so i immediately call david and say "i may have just committed us to something for a while." (we weren't married quite yet). he was fine with it. excited about it, in fact. 

over the years we have gotten to read his letters...mostly pictures that he has drawn accompanied by a roughly dictated and translated letter. but recently he has started to write a little english and he has been writing short phrases. the letter we got from him after i got my tattoo said "i pray God gives you hope." it brought me to tears. august 29th he turned 8. we sent him a little money for his birthday...not much but something. we just got a letter in the mail profusely thanking us for his birthday money and showing us what he got...new clothes. once again: tears. 

anyway...in almost three years, this is only my second blog post about him. mostly because its something we do because we want to do it...not because we want to talk about it. but i was just reminded that so many times i convince myself that we don't have that much money. i feel like we are constantly fighting to make ends meet without going into debt. and God has blessed us by always providing for our needs. He will never fail His children...He will always make sure we have what we need. 

Possible Home Offer!

someone is actually interested in our house!!!!! no offer as of quite yet but we are told they have seen it several times and they are very interested.

everyone PLEASE pray!

(i can still smell the rain from the day this was taken...home sweet former home)

What You Think About When You Think About God

"what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us...worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. for this reason the gravest question before the church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like."

a.w. tozer

Wilkey Family Photos

i love my family...a lot. i love getting to just hang out and talk and be weird - cause we totally are. anyway, for christmas, my sister decided to get some formal family shots for mi madre. it's a rare occasion that we are all in the same place long enough to get a picture of all 9 of us. so here are some of my favorites (and this was narrowing it down)...meet the wilkey fam: