Merry Christmas!!

Can you believe it's Christmas?! I can't. Time has flown and it boggles my mind.

Part of the reason it snuck (sneaked?) up so quickly is because, to me, it doesn't feel like Christmas. I miss the snow, the cold, the bundling up, the scarves (of course), the traditions, and the family and friends. The feeling of the season is hard to catch when it's always +20, sunny, and there are palm trees everywhere. Regardless, we have had plenty of fun enjoying a different kind of Christmas. Different is good! It's hard sometimes. But if you just embrace it for what it is, it will surprise you in a wonderful way :)

My Christmas Eve started off quite eventful with.... drumroll.... laundry! Fun eh? Better then doing it tomorrow though. After that, I decided to take advantage of the nice weather by going for a quick run. It was a great way to start the day.
When Aisling was volunteering in Tacloban after the typhoon, she met a couple who are staying there to help for the foreseeable future and convinced them to pop up to Tabuk to spend Christmas with us. It's fun to have two more Americano's around. We spent the afternoon strolling the market for the ingredients to make some tasty food and then went back to Georgia's house (who is in Canada for the holidays) to prepare and devour. And that we did. After dinner we came back to the clinic bearing cookies, cake, eggnog, and fudge to enjoy with the girls here.
Tomorrow will bring more fun time with friends, more wonderful food, and a new and different experience. And while I will miss home, I will be completely thankful for it.

I want to take some time in this blog to thank everyone who has supported me over this past year. I am blown away when I look back and see all the things God provided so that I could be here. Thank you for being so generous in your giving. For believing in where God has called me to in this time. For praying for me and supporting me while I am here. I can never come up with adequate words to express how grateful I really am. I would not be able to be here without your help! Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for all the people he has put in my life who would give so freely and wholeheartedly to see this work accomplished and these women being cared for. Thank you!!!

I pray that you all have a wonderful Christmas. I pray you enjoy time with the people you love, that you see God's blessings in this season, and that you get to enjoy some of your favorite foods ;)

Much love to you all!!!

Merry Christmas!
A

p.s. We are planning on putting together a video tour of the clinic and area in the next couple weeks so that you all can get a better idea of what it is like here, the work we do, why it's worth supporting, AND how great it is ;)
It you have anything specific that you would like to see or know, please let me know so we can include it!