2011 was a big year, not only for us but all around the world. If you need to remind yourself of all this year’s happenings, check out Google’s very moving 2011 year in review on YouTube.

For us, 2011 has been a year of seeing God do marvelous things. We welcomed our beautiful baby boy Henry into our hearts and home. We sold the vast majority of what we owned and moved to Texas about halfway through the year. We lived in Dallas for sixth months, completed a course in linguistics, and said goodbye. And then just before the year’s end we are moving to France.

This year God has also allowed us to share with you our hearts for Bible translation. This year God provided us with a group of supporters who give and pray for us regularly–you! This is truly a miracle. Thank you and merry Christmas from the four of us!

O children of the forest free, the angelsong is true;
The holy child of earth and heav’n is born today for you.
Come kneel before the radiant Boy,
who brings you beauty, peace and joy.
Jesus your king is born, Jesus is born. Gloria!
— Jean de Brébeuf
trans. Jesse Edgar Middleton

Last night was sort of a fitful night because not only was Friday the last day of my classes at GIAL but also the day we needed to get our apartment cleaned and ready for the housing inspection. The cleaning wasn’t too much trouble but I was awake nonetheless thinking about how we were going to manage all of our belongings and two kids at DFW airport early Saturday morning. We had five suitcases packed and Emily was still trying to stuff them with the last few bits and pieces that kept coming out of the woodwork. I had gone to bed after Emily assured me she’d be able to cram it all in one way or another. Still, at 2:30 I found myself awake (like tonight) and unable to sleep (like tonight).

One thought that came to mind while lying in bed was of the first question of the Heidelberg catechism: What is your only comfort in life and in death? I love catechisms because they ask questions that really get you thinking before they provide at least one possible, well-thoughtout biblical answer. And I love the answer to the first question that Heidelberg asks. It’s the answer to the question that puts a ballast in your belly, as John Piper would say. If you can answer this question–your only comfort in life and in death–you will find yourself fully reoriented to face anything, whether that’s depression, anxiety, stress or a move to a foreign country with two kids. So, the answer. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I am not my own, but I belong to my faithful savior Jesus Christ.

Amen! And to report on how everything went yesterday with luggage and flying and kids, it really couldn’t have been smoother! Poppy and Henry both slept the duration of the flight from Dallas to Pittsburgh. We were immediately welcomed into the loving arms of Memaw and Papaw Maust. We drove to Bob Evans and were treated to delicious comfort food. Later in the evening, my brother Matt and family came to spend the night at my parents’. Poppy enjoyed terrorizing the house with her cousin Lily, who by the way gets more beautiful every time we see her! Thank God for family!

So, what does the rest of our year look like. We’re here in Greensburg, PA, until December 29 when we’ll leave for France to start French school. My first day of classes is January 3. Instant immersion! We’ll do a post when we’ve arrived.

In the next two weeks, we’re going to get ready for and celebrate Christmas probably much like yourself. It’s Henry’s first Christmas. He’ll be almost four months old on Christmas day. Poppy is really looking forward to opening presents. She’ll be exactly two and a half years old on Christmas day.

If we don’t see you over Christmas, know that we miss you and wish you God’s richest blessings on your family this year and next.

Merry Christmas!

This trip was special for another reason: it was Poppy’s first time to England. She did well taking in to account the harsh time change that she needed to get used to and the hectic schedule she had to adapt to. We wanted to take her to London and take photos of her in front of all the popular tourist sites. It was rather cold and she got tired very quickly but we had a great time taking photos and running around the city.

We weren’t the only ones in my family to be travelling home for Christmas. My two sisters were returning home from being away for some time. My older sister Sally had been travelling around the world for six months and my younger sister Hannah had been doing an internship with a children’s ministry in New York City. My Dad had to make three visits to the airport to pick up his three girls in the space of a week.

Two weeks wasn’t nearly enough time so see everyone and catch up properly but we are hoping to go back for New Year’s Eve 2011 before moving to France in January 2012.

Why, nothing says Christmas like blue and white striped umbrellas. I’m gonna guess they’re going to need a lot more than the cockles of their heart warmed after the parade.

Perhaps one benefit of the less than desirable weather was the appearance of one less than desirable Christmas character: da…da…da Grinch!

This float blew fire. Cool.

Poppy loved frolicking in the toad strangler so much that she not only threw a fit when I put her in the car seat to come home, but she also threw her right boot. Merry Christmas to Daddy!

Notice for example that there was an entire clown troupe.

Lots of marching bands.

And a giant shopping cart reminding us to support local farmers and businesses.

We thought the Christmas parade would be a wonderful family outing. The weather was perfect with warming sunshine and crisp air. However, once we got downtown and parked our chairs right on the side of the street, Poppy went shy and acted a bit disturbed by all the pomp and circumstance.

She just wasn’t sure of some of the floats…

But then again, sometimes neither were Mummy and Daddy.

It wasn’t long before Poppy did find some floats she liked though.

In the end it was a wonderful (three hour long!) Christmas parade that gave us a great foretaste of the holiday season…

…but we’re still not sure what this guy was doing…

Poppy had a great time at the party making friends with a little boy named Cole (Judy’s 17 month old Grandson).  He too got into the spirit of things in his mini white tux.  Poppy also made friends with Judy’s 5 year old Granddaughter Emily. Poppy got to see her friend Sarah again, who she hadn’t seen for a while and was told all about the new Star Trek movie from her friend Paul.

We had a really nice evening relaxing with all our friends including Ally, Paige, Jessica, Shawn, Christine, Royce, Patrice, Ashley, Isabella, Madeline, Cory, Matt, Emily, Owen, Shawn, Tom and Judy.  And Poppy didn’t sleep a wink the whole time we were there from 7pm-10pm, needless to say she was so overtired it was ridiculous but she held out well and even managed to give Cole a lesson in how to successfully get the most play out of wrapping paper.

Sadly this year may be our last tearoom party unless they invite us back next year as alumni.