Christmas Time!

Christmas was a busy and exciting time for Ryan and I. We started off the Christmas season with Ryan's company Christmas dinner. Earth Exploration, Inc. has been a wonderful employer for Ryan and it is a real blessing to have a job that is secure and that he enjoys.









We saw both of our families and traveled a lot to make that happen but we love them and think their worth the effort. Christmas eve and Christmas day was shared with the Yoder family in Bloomington and we got to spend some time with my parents, Pete and Amee, and my brother Peter. It was a short visit but we had a great time.















Ryan's family is in Kansas so we flew out to Kansas City to see them. While we were there, we stayed on the plaza and saw the pretty lights with his parents, Alan and Janet, and his older brother Matthew and his wife Kari.

After returning to Indiana, I took Ryan to his first Hoosier basketball game at Assembly Hall! It's a shame that the IU program is in such a sad state right now but I'm doing my best to help Ryan accept his status as an Indiana Hoosier (even though I know he will always be a Jayhawk at heart).

Ryan Rocks!

Before our Thanksgiving dinner at the Yoder's, we went on a hike with Peter through the woods behind the house.Ryan really enjoyed looking at the local Indiana rocks...especially the crystal-filled geodes that are pleniful in the area.

Bruce's Blessing

This is Bruce, Peter's dog, who has taken a liking to Ryan, mainly because Ryan's not scared to throw a slimy tennis ball.  This is a photo of the two of them at Thanksgiving at the Yoder's.

Meet the Vanests!

Emily and Mark Vanest are our mentor couple, meaning they give us all sorts of advice and encouragement, especially when I start to freak out.   Unfortunately we don't have a photo of the two of them, but we do have photos of their 6 awesome kids.  

The Vanests are special to us, and are the reason I(Kate) found Redeemer.  Mark's parents were missionaries in the middle east and now attend ECC in Bloomington, where I attended.  I met with Mark's mom in Bloomington, when I came back from Italy, for prayer and debriefing.  She connected me with Redeemer and Mark and Emily when I moved to Indianapolis.

Two of their daughters, Halla (pictured with Ryan above) and Amira (on her sister Abby's back) will be our flowergirls.  

Abby (the 2nd oldest) wants to be a geologist and loves talking to Ryan about rocks and minerals.

This is Leila (the eldest child) and Jon in Jon's room.  Jon is the only boy and has a pretty cool jungle themed bedroom... below he is explaining his lion project to Ryan.  Amira is swinging on the trapeze swing. 

 

Amira loves Ryan and everytime she seems him, begs for "shoulder time" where Ryan puts her on his shoulders and they tour around.

Odious Oaken!

Ryan proves his love and shows off his cold-weather attire at the dreadfully frigid and need I say embarrassing Oaken Bucket Game in West Lafayette (Final football game and long standing rivalry between Indiana and Purdue). 

(Christopher Kearby, Melissa Wong, Kate, Ryan)