Matthew and Kiley's Christmas

This shot is off of our 18th floor balcony. If you look to the east when the sky is clear, you can see downtown Chicago. It's pretty sweet.

I finally figured out how to write between pictures. Silly me! Anyway, this is me kissing the turkey. :)

(We got each other matching "Northwestern" shirts from Steve and Barry's (going out of business) for like 2.50 each!)

This year's Christmas season is especially sentimental because it's our first year as a married couple. :) So, Matt and I decided to have our own Christmas meal and celebration last night. I made my very first turkey!! (12 pounds... I'm using the remaining 11 1/2 pounds to make soup). Anyway, it was a fun evening. We had dinner, then Matt found this great fireplace background we could play on our way-too-big TV. So, we had a "fireside" reading of the Christmas story from Luke. My favorite part of the Christmas story is when is says that Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. I have a feeling she didn't take the task of carrying God's son lightly. I've never thought of this before until right now, but I would love someday to meet Mary! I think the Catholic church does a good job of like remembering her, but the only time I think of Mary ever is Christmas, and it's just a passing thought, like, oh, you carried Jesus for nine months. No--she was engaged and got pregnant--a huge, huge no-no in that society I'm sure!! (yes, I did get my MA from Wheaton College) :) Then she had to convince her husband that GOD of all people made her pregnant (but thanks to the angel who stepped in). Then, she carried him nine months (I wonder when during the time they actually got married), gave birth NOT in a five star hospital, and had to raise baby, child, and teenage Jesus! What a task. Anyway, back to our Christmas. So after the fireside reading, we opened a few gifts. Then we went to Express to exchange some of Matt's gifts, then we came back for dessert. We were going to watch Elf, but instead ended up watching one of our favorite TV shows, John and Kate Plus Eight (yes, and I said one of "our" favorite shows... Matt likes it, too. :) It was a fun evening, and I'm glad we took some time to celebrate just the two of us.

Last Day!

My last day for fall semester at Harper College was Tuesday. I taught Writing IV (high-intermediate writing) and Reading II (high beginning/low intermediate reading). I had great students this semester! The last day is always a fun celebration (because I have to give my final the class before the last one)... this year we had doughnuts and just hung out. Another semestser done! Hard to believe. The next semester begins January 20th.

Christmas Party

Last night was our World Relief Christmas party for the families that Wheaton Bible Church has sponsored. Each of the families brought a native dish, and the Americans brought sides, salads, and breads. It was a lot of fun to see the families open their gifts. And Aseel, one of the moms, made a delicious Iraqui-rice-potatoes-chicken-beef-vegetable dish that I will have to get the recipe for.

Fun in the Snow

This weekend was the first real snowfall. I always love the first pretty white snowfalls of the year--it seems so pretty, light, and romantic. We had some fun in the snow with Matt's family in Cedar Rapids. Maddie, Mary Ellen and I made a (tilting) snowman. :)