Wrapping up 2009

2009 has been quite a year. Full of many transitions, changes and adjustments. Good times, hard times and surprises.

We were traveling from the first day of the year. Off to Tennessee for a team retreat and a final visit to Memphis. Our years in Memphis were so formative for us as individuals and as a couple that its a place we easily gravitate back to, and a difficult place to say goodbye to. We celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on the 5th and flew out for Australia on the 7th. And so began our new life in Wollongong.

Eleven months ago, we landed in Sydney. We had a few suitcases to our name, and a bunch of boxes still sailing somewhere over the Pacific. No car, no home. Just a dream, each other, enough faith in God to get on that plane, and a lot of people loving and supporting us behind the scenes. Now, we have a place to call home, a set of wheels, some new friends, and sweet connections with old friends and family to go along with the dream and the faith in God that brought us here. Oh yeah, and another child. Oh, how I would have laughed out loud if anyone had told me we'd be four, not three, well before year's end. Blessed. Tired, but so blessed. :)

We're looking forward to 2010. We anticipate that it will be challenging, faith building, exciting and surprising. But for the record, I still hope to be just four, and not five this time next year! How we love our two beautiful kids, but its only fair to play 1-on-1 for at least a while, right?

We hope that you have felt God's peace and presence this year. We love you and thank you for loving our family!
Jason, Nicole, Ella and Noah

(PS. We're hoping to send out a New Year's card/family picture. We'd love to hear from you, too. If you need our address, or want to give us yours, please leave a comment with an email address, or facebook us. I love this time of year for keeping in touch and reconnecting with friends).