Answered Prayers

I have been praying for snow and had pretty much lost hope that it would happen this year. The temps were consistantly in the 40s. So yesterday finally the teperatures became winterlike. It did not get over about 30 all day long. I was totally excited for it to be actually cold. Then they had said tonight there would be snow. Then this morning they said it would be snowing starting in the morning. Mom and I went to a craft store and when we were leaving she said Hannah look. I was like what until I looked for a little while. Then I saw the little flakes falling. As we drove toward the farm the snow got heavier and was swirling on the road after cars passed and with the wind. Then I was hopping in front of the bathroom excitedly telling Rachel about the snow. As it got heavier I went out and took some pictures. That was about 45 minutes ago and now it is getting harder to see outside because it is coming down so much. I will have to post more tomorrow when I get home of more snow and the accumulation we will get on our **SOB SOB** last day here.

Some more updates

Sadly Judy is right it is very unusually warm here. We will more than likely not see any snow. Today it is about 40 and will not get any lower so they say, or at least not lower than freezing.

This is Nubble light, which is in York, Maine about 10 miles away.

We waited for the sunset.

This is an example of the beautiful houses in Maine. This is my dream house.

This is our darling cousin Zachary. He is definitely a JOhnson.

Mom and I on the way to dinner with her side of the family
Kim my cousin's wife and her oldest Ella
Rachel and mom
Me and my Eleanor. She married my grandfather after mom was out of the house, so we just called her our Eleanor
Fishy kisses with dad
Rachel and Anna, this is the youngest Green, Ella's little sister
Pasha and Jennifer, Pasha is my cousin Jennifer's fiance.
Me and Rachel before heading off for the game
Rachel in her element, right before going to the game

Long long day

Today we were scheduled to take off to Charlotte at 6 am. We got there in time and they said we would be delayed due to fog in Charlotte. This went on and on. At 8 or so they said the fog lifted and we should be boarding soon. Then after a later flight to Charlotte was cancelled they cancelled our flight at about 11. We got a new flight to Chicago at 3:30 and left for lunch and came back. Then it was delayed for almost an hour and then we were off. This was the sunrise we should have seen from the plane.

Rachel had already taken her Dramimine and ended up resting for an hour or so on the floor.
This was at noon when I was waiting to go to lunch.

Here I am with Howie as my pillow

This picture almost got me arrested. I took this picture and within a second the flight attendent popped out of nowhere and asked to see the picture I took. I showed her and she told me I could not take any pictures with the exits, flight attendents, cockpit or crew in it. I asked why, she said (in a you are stupid tone) because of 9-11. I asked why and she said they are sure they had taken pictures to know where things are. She said if I took any more pictures with any of that in them I would be arrested on the spot. Later I thought that was no reason, they could go online or steal the in the pocket paper that shows where the exits were and the terrorists did not care about who the flight attendents or crew were they just wanted to take over the plane.aWe were supposed to arrive at noon and ended up arriving at 10:45. Mom stayed home with Grandpa and dad came to pick us up. I ran up and jumped into his arms.

Shines the Light

This is my favorite Chirstmas song. I wanted to share the lyrics with you, or as I remember them. Forgive me if I mess it up a little bit, every time we performed it we had the words.

On the edge of a night filled with hope and promise
All the heavens are filled with the glory of God
From a rough wooden bed in a stable in Bethlehem
Shines the light of the world Halleluia
For the child that is born there is sent from above
And brings us freedom peace and love
From the life that He lives as He walks among us
Shines the Light of the world Alleluia
On the edge of a day dimmed with grief and sorrow
Though the dark would consume that radiance so light
From a rough wooden cross on a hillside called Calvary
Shines the light of the world Alleluia
For the man that hangs there is sent from above
And brings us freedom and peace and love
For the life that denied the grave its power
Shines the light that is Jesus Alleluia
Shines the light that is Jesus Alleluia

This Should be Fun

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate or spiced apple cidar, something about drinking eggs makes my knees weak
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Really what kind of question is this?
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Depends I love white but if you go with one color it looks good but something about the multicolored lights makes it look like a sombrero (SHUDDERS)
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I there were anyone I would want smooching on me I would but alas there is no one.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Black Friday, it is tradition, once Thanksgiving is over Christmas begins
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Stuffing and more stuffing
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Opening up one gift on Christmas Eve (almost always PJs, wearing them to open presents, Rachel and I getting our picture under the tree.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Once my sister learned so pretty much the Christmas I could understand what she was saying. She had asked mom and mom could not lie to her child so she felt it necessary to crush all my hopes and dreams too. Not like I cared.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yep sure do it's tradition
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With a strand of teal and a strand of purple lights and a bunch of penguin ornaments mom has bought me over the years. All the others just won't fit
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW!
12. Can you ice skate? Yes and I bought my first pair last year and will bring them up again to break in the pond or fields.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Ahh that is a hard one! Christ I will have to say.
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family time
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cherry pie
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Mom and dad taking us out on a date and then shopping for the other parent right after.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Wow my selfish little self would have to say both, I love the excitment of seeing them open what I have put so much thought into and I love surprises too.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Shines the Light
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Ok in moderation, I prefer the little ones, that is all I need. UNLESS THEY ARE THE SOFT KIND THAT SORT OF MELT IN YOUR MOUTH. I DIE FOR THOSE.

My Cup...

runneth over. Last night I was truly blessed. This semester was my first to be in our church's choir. I have always loved singing and even majored in choir in high school (I went to a magnet school). I always thought about joining our choir but never took the initiative to actually join. So this semester with some encouragement I gave up all excuses and jumped right in. I love it. I really feel this is my ministry at the church.
Every year we have a Christmas concert which was Sunday and then the Tuesday after the choir and orchestra go to Tucker prison and worship with the inmates there. This was my first year to go to Tucker also. I was very excited and not sure what to anticipate. I think every chair they had set up was full. Before we started we all sat down and prayed in small groups. We prayed we would be a blessing to those men who were believers, that they may be filled, we prayed for those whose hearts are hardened that they may be softened and see Christ through us and the words. That they may believe and repent. We prayed that we would truly worship, we thanked God for the opportunity to serve Him in this way. And boy was I blessed. I really worshipped I really felt and meant those words, and I wanted my face to convey it to those men. Not that I don't worship on Sunday morning, but there is something unique about worshipping amid much darkness. I wanted them to see that only by the grace of God were we not in their seats and maybe some of us have been in their seats but God saved us. In my sinful past I was definitely on my way to being locked up.
During some of the songs I know well I was able to look around and there were so many men I saw who were truly worshipping with us. Closing their eyes, hands up, singing along. I burned to show them God's love. I wished I could share with them my testimony. That is really the first true form of missions I have been involved in. Though I have gone on missions trips before I was not a believer, I was the blind leading the blind, though I did know the Truth I did not embrace it. My eyes were really opened to the words in the songs and the truth behind them. It was like God awoke me there in that ministry. We sang:

A Great Joy

Away in a Manger

When Love Came Down
Joy to the World
Glory to God
Glory Hallelu
Christmas Peace (which is a compilation of Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem and another carol I forgot the name of)
We Beheld His Glory
Gift of a Lifetime
Shines the Light
On Christmas Peace the men stood and sang with us and let me tell you I only saw a few men not singing. Some raised their hands and sang. After each song the men were eager to applaud, they would even start before we were finished on some songs. The last two they stood up and applauded us. After a few came up and really thanked us for coming and said how much they enjoyed it. I was so glad they enjoyed it and pray their hearts were touched and lives might be changed. I truly look forward to this ministry again next year.

Amanda's Shower

Amanda's beautiful cake care of Blue Cake Company

Gail and Amanda at the refreshment table.
Waiting for the blessing
A group of our elder's wives. Tandy, Judy and Hannah.
Here is Candy beginning to show her second pregnancy
Jessica's twins finally popped out. I was doubting she was carrying twins for a while there.
Ms Judy and Carol
The lovely blushing mom's to be, aren't they beautiful
Marion, Diane, Georgie

More Shower

Monica, Wendy and Krista holding baby Jane

Can you tell they are related. Tandy and Heather

Can we have a moment that Grace and Emma the girls to the right, I used to take care of in nursery.
Ms Judy and her daughter Lucinda. They are both in our Sunday school class and Lucinda used to be my small group leader for 11th grade. I LOVE them both.
Ms Patty and Marion. Ms Patty's life was just spared by a long awaited liver transplant.
The blushing bride and mother of the bride. Amanda and Gail
Candy, Wanda and Michelle
Me and Bethany. I really had pity on the stars when they deal with paparazzi at this moment because Rachel was taking a ridiculous amount of pictures of me. And I was trying to carry on a decent conversation, it really has been a while.