ANTICIPATION OF A BRAND NEW YEAR !

Yes...I am looking forward to the brand New Year!!! It is always my joy to feel like I am starting anew..with no mistakes! One of our New Years Traditions is to have Pork and Sauerkraut. I grew up thinking that EVERYONE had that...Oh well...I was shocked I suppose. I have a beautiful boneless Pork Roast that will cook in the oven for about 8 hours or so...surrounded by sauerkraut and Keilbasse....Corys parents will bring the Mashed Potatoes...I think I am going to serve carrots with this...it might make the sauerkraut not so tart. Usually a can of beer in the sauerkraut takes care of that, but since I am not going to go to the liquor store anytime soon, I will probably substitute apple juice as my Mom suggested. We will also have rolls and butter...and I will buy a package of hot dogs in case the kids can't handle the sauerkraut. Cory does not like it either...but he takes one strand and burys it in his mashed potatoes...what a good sport!! We are also having an Italian guest for New Years...she is bringing lentils which is in their New Years Tradition...something sweet, a piece of fruit, and lentils. I think that they all stand for something, I will have to ask. Afterwards we will have Strawberry Daquiris...YUM...I have been craving Margaritas...but this will have to do. What kind of New Years Meal or Traditions do you have?
I just went to my OB appt. the other day. I have gained 9lbs so far...Pretty much it is all belly right now. In 3 weeks I am scheduled to have my 4D Ultra Sound...Hip Hip Hooray!!! So far so good. I had my glucose tolerance test the other day...I suppose they will call me if I have anything to worry about. Elijah is very busy I can tell. If it is any indication of how things will be when he arrives...Cory and I will get no sleep.
When New Years comes along...I am fond of New Years Resolutions. I have not made an entire list or anything like that...but I like to be in the habit of continnually bettering myself..New Years or Not. One of the things that Cory and I have decided to do is to Read thru the Bible in one year. We were both given a couples study Bible when we were married, and I have a "womens" study Bible. We have not used them much, I tend to lean more towards my Thompson Chain Reference. Anyways...I was looking thru the Study Bibles and found a reading plan for reading thru in one year. We would both like to have devotional time as a couple, but don't seem to have the time to do that and have family worship , and our own personal devotions...soooooo I thought this would be perfect...because we would be reading the same passages everyday at our own convenience and then we can discuss them when we get the chance! I am really excited about it. Our Pastor is also doing some sessions on Worship/ Family Devotions. Cory has been doing a series of Family worship about Obedience. Each night he has been reading a story of someone who has been obedient or disobedient...and telling the consequences or blessings. We all have been really enjoying it...it is good for the kids to know that Mom and Dad need to obey too. Corys focus right now is on the 19th psalm...not in its entirety, but the verses about Gods laws. We have been trying to get the kids to learn 19B...we just started that one yesterday...I figure perhaps if we work on one or two Psalms for two weeks that it will help them to memorize it. JJ and Keith also gave us a subscription to the family devotion magazine called Pockets...it is really cute, and is geared toward kids. Thanks guys we love that one! At any rate, I am hoping to be able to have my own devotions doing some general reading of both Old and New Testaments, and to have this special time with Cory...Pray for us that we can do this.
The flu season is upon us...many have been sick...I thought that maybe some of you would be interested in my Moms Blog...Jemit. Mom is an RN and has made some posts about the flu and other stuff in general....how to prevent it, and how to treat it. Mom has said she likes to educate people about things like that...so don't be afraid to ask her a question if need be...or just peek and see what her blog had to say. She is full of good wisdom--and I am always calling to pick her brain :)

Hope everyone is having a fabulous last 2006...I hope that God gives many blessings to you and yours in the year 2007!