New Year's Eve

Hip Hip Hooray! Joy is still with us! She missed her flight, and now doesn't have to go to FL for diving training!

Guess what we did today?

Shopping is the best when you go with your Daddy.

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This week I've been "storing up" God's promises in my heart as I anticipate going back to Wales early Monday morning. The few I rehearsed this morning are:

-He is with me wherever I go. (Matthew 28)


-I did not choose Him (or this season) but HE chose ME. (John 15)


-His mercies are new EVERY morning. (Lamentations 3)


-Great is His faithfulness. Past faithfulness, because of His unchanging character, is prophetic of future faithfulness. (also Lamentations 3)


-He is unchanging even when my world is ever-changing.


-He will change and sanctify me in and through this season. (Philippians 1:6)


And the one that I've rehearsed over and over today--

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God. The Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary, His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who has no might, He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted. But those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
(Isaiah 40:27-31 probably several different versions combined...)

As in every season, there are things I am waiting for. As, I'm sure, there are things YOU are waiting for even as you read this. Let us take courage and HOPE. If we wait on the LORD...He will RENEW our strength. Ah, making my strength NEW. I sure need new strength.

Hope does not put us to shame. (Romans 5:5) We cannot hope beyond what He can do!

And hope, if it is seen...is not hope. Who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do NOT see...we wait for it. With patience. (Romans 8:24)

May this be a year of patient waiting for me. Waiting in silence. Without a word. No suggestions, no comments, no recommendations to my Maker. He alone is God. (Psalm 62)

Oh LORD, teach me to laugh at the time to come. Help me see you in all I do. To you alone be the glory.

What are you grateful for this past year? What are you hoping for this next year? I want to hear!

Happy New Year!

Beachin' it.

This is Avery. Sarah and Vinny's 8 month old. Isn't she so cute? My mom took her for like a 2 hour walk. Not sure who had more fun...Avery or my mom.

I gave Sarah and Katie highlights and cuts.

My Bubba.

Justin asked if I'd take some pics this week of him, his guitar, the beach, and the sun setting. Here are a few we've taken so far...






He's so handsome.

We broke up into teams and played a very intense game of Cranium.



Joy and I won because our brains are somehow connected. She's the best guesser in the entire world. Sadly, she's on her way to the airport now...I won't see her for like 9 months...but yay for Skype!

To the Beach!

awwww....

Yesterday around noon JJ and KT came over to caravan to the Beach with us! Of course they brought Jack.

Daddy had to work until last night, but the rest of us headed to Moe's for lunch before taking off.

Me and my bros.

Welcome to the Beach!

The house we're in is EXTREMELY nice. We're here for the week with Katie's sister and brother in law (Sarah and Vinny) and their little girl, Avery, and Katie and Sarah's mom, Nancie.

Last night I hogged Jack for hours.

Unfortunately today is Joy's last day here with us- she has training in Deer Beach, Florida for diving and flies out tomorrow.

I was telling my Mom yesterday on the drive here...that in the last 11 days, I've been in Wales, Norfolk, Orlando, Richmond, Charlottesville, and North Carolina. It will be nice to "stay put" for a week!

Charlottesville!

My Saturday morning started with a 7:45am coffee date with my friend from Richmond, Amy Roberts before she headed off to Delaware. (Yes, I know TWO Amy Roberts....crazy.) She sacrificially woke up at the crack of dawn to meet me for TWO HOURS at a little place called Cafe Catura. I forgot to get a picture...but oh, the time was so refreshing. How dear she is to me.

Came back to my parent's apartment, picked up Joy and Justin, and we went to our home town...Charlottesville! Bodos was our first stop. The best bagels in the world. Nothing beats this.

This is my favorite Bodo's sandwich. (This picture is for you, Jenn Romanski.) An everything bagel with turkey, munster cheese, advacado spread, mayo, lettuce and tomato. YUM.

Met with Karen for an hour and a half. So fun. I love you, Karen!

Next- off to Ginger's house to hang out for a bit. Ginger is the only friend from CHS (Charlottesville High School- the public school I went to for jr. and sr. year) that I'm in touch with. In all reality, she was the only friend I made in those two years...

Then downtown to meet Vanessa for Christian's pizza. The best pizza in the world. Nothing like it. It's always weird going downtown- seeing people whos names I don't know, but I passed them in the hallway at school for years...

We then went to Christ Community-- the church I grew up at and worked at in my "in between year" in Va.

What a fun surprise-- a bunch of the guys from our Youth Group were there visiting for Christmas! So encouraging to see Prodigals who've come home, and to catch up on the last 4 years.

Then off to Starbucks with frinds from Covenant! This is Jennie and Lisa. (Lisa's brother and my brother married sisters. Her niece and my nephew are cousins!) They both went to William and Mary and Lisa is now in NYC at Columbia studying autism.

This is my dear friend, Chris Short, and his girlfriend Clare. Chris is a youth minister now at a Catholic Church in Charlottesville and also working somewhere doing something to conserve energy or something-something. I completely understand what he does.

Sweet friend Kristen Sieminski (who's visited Orlando several times!) and her fiance John. They're getting married in April and I'm so sad to miss the wedding. I love them. They way they have sought to glorify the LORD in their relationship is such an encouragement to me. They'll live in Eerie, PA.

Well, this isn't the whole gang, but its a chunk of it! Joey (pronounced Yoey...short for Johanna..."Yohanna") is in the plaid. I haven't seen her in FOUR years. It was wonderful to catch up! She's in Charleston, SC.

...I feel like I'm writing personal ads...

and now we're off for a week in North Carolina!

Leach Family Christmas

Sorting presents is a big part of tradition. Everyone finds their place and the "kids" (us) go around and make piles by everyone's seats.

I love this little guy.

"Mimi" got her first "grandmother's bracelet" with a little boy on it representing Jack. Hopefully, this bracelet will be very very full in the next coming years!

Granny and Grampa (Daddy's parents)

Conversation goes as follows: (JJ and KT open Jack-Jack's present for him...from Justin - diapers)

Justin: I'm 18, I don't know what to get a kid...
JJ and Katie: No! This is great!
Justin: You guys don't even want to know how expensive diapers are...

hilarious.

Aunt Muffy (Daddy's siter) and Uncle Ralph

Joy and Justin

Aunt Muffy made Jack Jack his first baby album!

My sweet love is all tuckered out. This was his fourth Christmas in a week.

Great-Granny and Jack-Jack. How precious.

The chef (Daddy) is hard at work in the kitchen and I'm stoked about dinner!

Merry Christmas! (again!)

Christmas Eve (again) from an obsessed aunt

This morning Santa's helpers brought Daddy cupcakes at work...








Then Mommy and "the three single children" drove to Richmond and I got to meet baby Jack!!!



I'm in love.

Christmas for us is in the morning...hope you're enjoying time with your family! We have much to rejoice about!

For unto us a Savior is born!!!