Christmas Decorating

I really enjoy this time of year when Christmas music is playing in the back ground and the smell of your Noble Tree is filling the air. You dig in the attic for all the Christmas decorations and the clutter of the boxes fill your living room. You start sorting through the decorations; reminiscing about past years, talking about the sentimental value behind some of the ornaments, untangling and checking to see if the lights still work from last year. Sitting in front of the fireplace, sipping on hot chocolate with whipped cream on top and using a candy cane as a stir stick. These are some of my fondest memories of the holidays and it is during this time of year that it becomes harder to be away from my family and not be able to partake of these traditions.
But I praise the Lord for the team He has given me and the friendships that have bloomed over the last couple years. This last weekend Tiana and I put on some Christmas music and made some hot chocolate and then dug out our little fake Christmas Tree (which my lovely and amazing sister, Renee, mailed me last year), our lights and decorations. As we decorated we talked about our favorite family traditions , shared Christmas stories, and decided we should go to church this year! Ha ha ha! We didn't quite make it last year.

Turkey Day! Paketos Diena!

Well, We started off our Thanksgiving with an exam in our Lithuanian language class. If you ask me, it wouldn't have been my first choice to start off Turkey day, but it ended up being a fun class. Our professor divided us up in to groups where each group had at least one American. I was in a group with a guy from Germany and a girl from Poland. They were suppose to ask us Americans, questions about Thanksgiving. The problem: my Lithuanian vernacular does not cover words like "pilgrim," "Indian," or "Plymouth Rock." However, it was a fun time of trying to explain Thanksgiving to people who were from two different cultures and using a language to communicate that was none of our native tongue. It was an interesting experience. :)
After class, we went back to our flats and started preparing dinner.Jason and I got into a flour fight. I think he won.....

Matt BBQed the turkey which turned out amazing! All the food was very tasty. We had twice baked potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, and gravy. Mmmmmm.... yummy goodness.
We spent the evening hanging out, playing games, and watching movies. It was a great day!

Then there were five......

Last Thursday we saw Peter and Jen off at the airport. It was a bitter sweet time. Sweet because I'm excited for them as God guides them into full time ministry and as they get to tap into their God given gifts and bless another team with them. Bitter because I will miss Peter and I will miss Jen and I will miss the Hibbs. Especially in the times when I know what Peter would've said or when Jen would've laughed and on the days we would've just hung out and enjoyed them.
Anywho, here are some pictures of the day.....


On the ride to Vilnius
Peter having a Stat Oil dog for breakfast
Our last full team picture
Saying, "See ya later, Friend!"

I love you guys!

SNOW!!!!

It has been snowing the last couple days and it has been beautiful, but not sticking! I woke up this morning to this.......




I love snow!

Laura's B-Day Party

One of our friends birthday was this last Sunday and we offered to have her birthday party at our flat on Saturday. It was a blast! She wanted to have tacos for dinner then we hung out, played games and chatted. I thank the Lord that He has given us a place that students feel like and are able to have parties and whatnot at our flat! That just blesses my heart!

All Saints Day

November 1st is All Saints day and it is tradition in Lithuania to go to the cemetery in the evening and place candles on the grave sites of people you knew. It is a surreal and tranquil experiences. I have become quite found of this tradition since I have been here. :)