THANKSGIVING WEEKEND - THURSDAY

Daniel and I spent our last Thanksgiving in the States (for a while) in Ruston this past weekend. It was different without Jenny and Brian and Meredith - they stayed in Baton Rouge. It was also different because my cousins went to their in-laws on Thanksgiving Day. So, instead of having a full day of Thanksgiving festivities on Thursday, we spread it out over the weekend this year. Daniel and I enjoyed a day to ourselved in Fort Worth on Wednesday and began our trip to Ruston on Thanksgiving morning. We stopped in Tyler for lunch, and almost found nowhere to eat! McDonald's, Wendy's, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, Pizza Inn, Subway...were ALL closed. Of course I thought, "Great! I'm glad they get to be with their families for Thankgiving!" But I was also hungry! So, Burger King came to our rescue!!!

We had dinner Thursday evening at Mamaw and Papaw's and as usual, the food was TO DIE FOR!! My Mamaw is an AMAZING cook!

Anyhow, I have so much to be thankful for. Each time we go to Ruston now, I am reminded over and over how blessed I am to be part of such a loving, funny, supportive, and thoughtful family! It's really a joy to spend time at home with everyone. And it's so nice that almost everyone is in the same town.

Oh...and I was reminded to mention that another highlight of the weekend was running into our Fort Worth neighbors, Michael and Meg!

SATURDAY

Saturday Daniel and I rode the four-wheeler through the woods and over the meadow from our house to Granny's and back! Fun times on the 4-wheeler.


That night we brought boxes down from the attic, unboxed Christmas decorations, and started putting them on the tree at Mom and Dad's. It's a tradition our family started a few years ago - decorating for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving. We missed Jenny and Brian, but they couldn't come up since Meredith was only 2 1/2 weeks old.

SUNDAY

We celebrated Thanksgiving at my Granny's on Sunday. It was different, not celebrating at lunch on Thursday like we usually do. But, honestly, it was MUCH nicer not to be so stuffed the entire day on Thursday. This way, we got to spread out the turkey and dressing. Daniel rang the bell to tell everyone it was time for Thanksgiving lunch! Here's the crew! After some GREAT turkey and dressing, we all went outside for some fun in Granny's backyard. My cousins invited Rayshun over for Thanksgiving. I'm so glad they did. He's just been put up for adoption this past week. Pretty rough times for him right now. So...if you're looking to love on a sweet 14 year old boy...here's an opportunity! This is our sweet little 2nd cousin, Annie. She'll be 2 next week! It was this infamous backyard where I fell through the trampoline 7 years ago and cracked and compressed my back because my sister, 2 cousins, and I were all jumping on the trampoline at one time - ON THANKSGIVING AFTERNOON! The afternoon ended with Daniel challenging Granny to a football toss! It's so fun to see him love on my family and fit in so well!

from Tanzania

It was at a Watermark concert at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, LA, in 1999 that I began sponsoring a little boy named William Peter. He was 5 years old at the time. We've corresponded through letters for about 7 years now. I wrote him after Daniel and I got married and told him I am now married. I also told him about the Somalis that I teach English to. He wrote back in response to my letter to him and thought it was too precious not to post. Oh, how with this letter he's stolen my heart even that much more!! Here's what he says:

"I was happy to hear that you are married to Daniel. I pray for a good life to you filled with blessings in the name of Jesus. I was also happy to know about Somaliland, but what makes me unhappy is to hear that in Somaliland they do not know about Jesus. Let's unite together and pray for them so that they can know Jesus...May the heavenly Father bless you and you are welcome to Tanzania."

Precious. Isn't it???!?!?!!!

...we meet...

We are in Baton Rouge - got here yesterday. Came to meet little Meredith! Wow... she's beautiful. She's got a little dimple to the right of her mouth. Super cute. I've held her some, but the house was crowded with mamaw, papaw, mom, dad, Daniel, and me yesterday - all wanting a turn with the new little one! I had a sweet time with her yesterday, rocking her, praying over her, asking that she would honor her mommy and her daddy, honor her God. That she would have a deep passion for the Lord and that He would put within her a heart for the nations. That somehow, through the miles that will separate us from her, that she would know her Uncle Danny and Aunt Kim and that the Lord would give us a sweet relationship with her. Sweet time with her! She's sleeping really well through the night already. Jenny is having to wake her up to nurse. What a BLESSING not to have a crying little one all night long. Rather, a peaceful little sleeper. We're having a good time. Too short. Headed to College Station tonight on our way to a church-planting conference in Waco on Monday.

Auntie Kim

I'm an aunt as of 3:30 this afternoon. My little niece's name is Meredith Marie. She was 5 pounds, 5 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long....and did I say the most GORGEOUS baby I've ever seen?!?!?

Angels in NEPAL

Angels. Have you ever thought much about them? Are they real? Do you believe in them?

I remember my youth pastor telling a story about an angel preventing him from a car accident. Other than that, I didn't grow up talking much about the reality of angels appearing on Earth.

Two weeks ago, our pastor spoke on angels during the service that Sunday morning. He shared a story that really moved me and caused me to long to see in the spiritual realm. Surely there are angels all around us. Consider yourself blessed to see one! Here's the story Gary told:

There was a missionary team in Nepal. The man had grown up as a missionary kid and spoke the language of Nepal. However, he and his buddies were in search of a small group of people called the Kahn (sp?) people. They didn't know where they lived. All they knew is that they lived in the mountains, several days' walk into the mountains. They are at a mountain pass and are at a loss for where to go next. Ahead is the crest of the mountain. Going forward meant sliding down a huge patch of ice, not knowing if they would be able to get back to the place they currently were because of the ice. That night, they prayed about where to go. They heard the Lord tell them that an angel would lead them. They fell asleep that night and woke up to find out that it had snowed in the night.

What did they see at the edge of their sleeping area? FOOTPRINTS. "An angel?" they thought. Most likely so. The footprints led toward the huge patch of ice and they saw that in the valley, the footprints picked back up again. So, they decided to follow the footsteps and slide down the ice, and follow the steps into the woods below. The footsteps led right into a village. A man meets them at the bridge that leads into the village. Who was this man? He was the ONLY man in the entire village who spoke BOTH the language of Nepal as well as the Kahn language. He could be their translator!!! When they met each other, the missionary asks this man if he can translate for him. The man agrees, but says, "Only on one condition." He retreats back to his room in the village and returns with a box. He opens the box and pulls out a New Testament and says, "I will translate for you if you tell me everything you know about this man named Jesus." He continues to tell them that the previous night he had a dream. In his dream were white men who he saw coming across the bridge. He knew in his dream that he was supposed to help the white men. Then he tells them that 20 years ago, he was riding a train, and a man on the train gave him this Book. He's been reading it since then and wanted to know all that they knew about him!!

True story. True God. Amazing God. That He intervenes in so many amazing ways! That He orchestrates the very details of our lives so that we too may "run in" to men like this Kahn man who was longing to know more about Jesus. We just have to keep our hearts open and our lives submitted to the One who gives us so much to be joyful about. So much to tell about. The One who gives us life eternal!!

There's No Business Like Show Business

Daniel's former roommate took the spotlight as the male lead, Frank Butler, of "Annie Get Your Gun" this past weekend at the Waxahachie Community Theater. Chris is the one in the center, wearing the brown suit, slinging the gun over his shoulder, standing on the "porch" of the hotel. Dania, Daniel, and I met up with several of Chris' other friends. We all enjoyed watching this musical with great show tunes like, "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" and "There's No Business Like Show Business." We even got to hang out with the STAR after the show!! Lucky us!! He gave a FABULOUS performance! Doesn't Chris look absolutely stunning in his sparkly silver vest and shiny red shirt?!?! And don't Daniel and I look like we had fun -who knew the Lord could match such ridiculously strange people...and we even have friends who like spending time with us?!?!!? It's a miracle.

AUDI addition

No, we're not adding to the Daniel Audi family, but...his little brother, Josh, is about to leave the single world and move into the wonderful world of marriage! He proposed to his girlfriend (now fiance), Elizabeth, yesterday, and we got to be a part of it all!!

He's been planning for about a month and after a 9 day delay in the plans because of uncooperative weather, he and Elizabeth finally got to take a hot air balloon ride at sunrise yesterday morning! Daniel and I chased the balloon around Fort Worth, stopping 5 different times to hold up this sign for Elizabeth to read! She mostly could make out the "marry me" on the poster. She was exstatic of course! They enjoyed a bit more time in the air, and I got to hang out with them a bit afterwards! We love Elizabeth. She has such a sweet, gentle spirit about her that is so incredibly attractive. She loves the Lord and adores Joshie. We're happy to have such a great addition to our family!

CONGRATS, JOSHIE AND ELIZABETH

One Year Ago...

October 13, 2005: Daniel asked me to meet him at Central Market in Fort Worth after I taught ESL to my class of Somalis in Arlington. From there, we walked over to Starbucks for a cup of coffee. After some nice conversation, he excuses himself to the restroom and one of the girls working inside brings me a note that says,

"I like you.
Do you like me?
Check yes or no."

There were boxes for me to check 'yes' or 'no'. Obviously I checked 'yes'. And now, 365 days later, I am Mrs. Daniel Audi!!!

To celebrate the one year anniversary since we began dating, I surprised him with tickets to a Mute Math concert in Dallas Friday night. We had a great time and they give an amazing concert!

Funny...we ran into a guy I grew up with in Shreveport who just got married in February and lives in the DFW area as well. Stephen and I were born 2 days apart in the same hospital in Shreveport. Our families were good friends throughout our childhood. And when I moved to Fort Worth 2 years ago, his parents told my parents that he is playing the guitar in a worship band at a church in DFW. Random to run in to him and his wife at this concert!


Daniel took me to the Kimbrell Art Museum on Saturday to see the Hatshepsut - from Queen to Pharoah exhibit that I had been wanting to see. Then we went to Edelweiss for a nice German dinner.

It was a fun weekend of celebration!

The Lord is good and has given us so much to be thankful for in 2005-2006. He's introduced me to the man I get to live with and love for a lifetime!!

What an amazing year this has been!