Merry Christmas.... in the US!

Our first 25th of December in the US to spend with blood relations and new friends. We had a lovely Christmas dinner at Mommom's and spent a wonderful afternoon with Aunt, Uncles, and cousins, playing games and being a family.

At Eleanor's Christmas Eve.

Playing Scrabble 'round the table at Aunt Peggy's.

Zach, Deb, and Jon (home from Colorado!) checking out a Scrabble word online.

Mother looking beautiful.

Abby and Em checking out presents....

Modeling a pair of Uncle Dave's glasses....

When we came, little AJ was a month old.... Now he is so big....

Chrissy chatting with Uncle Ricky.

Austin (home from the Marines!) and Taylor chillin' on the couch watching basketball.

Crammed in the car on the way Blue Mountain.... What an adventure.

We leave in two days. We're packing up our little home. Trying to stuff seven months into 12 suitcases and six carry-ons. ONLY SIX of us are returning! This is our life. We can do it.

A Day Later....

This morning we awoke to this!
Someone was busy dusting our world last night...





Tried to get rid of this shot but something's up with this page today...



These bright ladies aren't daunted!



Little Chrissy in her winter parka. Isn't she a doll?

The view from my bedroom window.

November

IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!
Today winter began in earnest. Snow came in flurries twice today. WOW.

The flurries come and go really, but the temps have been in the 30-40 range most days this week.

Yesterday we as a family went to a musicale called Sounds of Christmas at the Living Waters Theater in Lancaster. It was truly wonderful. Christmas is coming and for the first time in my life, it feels as if Christmas were an adventure in an unknown winter wonderland. Christmas in the summer just doesn't cut it the same!

Today I'm going to the Harrisburg Area Community College campus in Bridgeport (close to where we live in Willow Valley) to see about internet courses I might take while in Chile.....

October

Beautiful leaves!

L to R: Heidi (she's been to Chile), Deb, Rachel, Caitlin, myself, and Becky)
Our Church's Family Fun Night was last night. We went on a hay ride and roasted marshmallows and I read by the firelight. The fall chill was absent during the day but came out in full force once the sun went down!

:D

We all.

Mom's new glasses don't co-operate for good pictures!

Tio Lee and Tia Pati & Our Old YES Team

We had a wonderful last week wth our dear foster grandparents who flew from Colorado to see us. We love you guys so much!!

Friday evening we had a 2004 YES team reunion, (minus Alan :'( ). It was great to see these each other again and get to know the husbands!!

Dana was my "mother" the week the team took care of us in Chile when my parents flew up here for a funeral. I loved being her only "child"!

G'Bye Mayos.... Happy Birthday Chrissy!!

My now 8 year old sister!

With our daddy...

I'm holdin my newest cousin, little Titus. Him and his parents are moving to Florida tomorrow. :'(

Love you guys!

Little AJ has grown so much! Deborah moved out today.

:D

This past week the whole Hostetter clan (minus only two cousins) spent a glorious week at the bay together. We boated, tubed, fished, or read (I read an average of one book per day), and my uncles and aunts reminisced over their childhood, entertaining us cousins with hilarious stories until the wee hours. In short, it was one of the best weeks of the summer.

Myself, second cousin Clara, first cousin Emily, and Uncle Dave preparing for a ride.

Everyone had a blast on the boat!

Dad with his little girls and grandnieces.

Mommom and Mom in the huge kitchen.

This dock was always populated with fishermen, sunbathers, or the uncles and aunts talking.

Tubing! It was the most fun ever....

I can do anything!

Yesterday was one of those days. You know, when everything could be totally awful, but turns out awesomely instead.

Our church met at this lovely retreat center called Black Rock and each one of us shared something about ourselves as missionaries. During "my turn" I did a worship dance. Yep. And I survived! Better yet, folks came up to me afterwards, thanking me for going out on the limb and blessing them. I am so amazed that God could use me...... He is so amazing and we are so undeserving.

The afternoon was wonderful..... Reading on the swings under shady trees, holding new babies, checking out the trails, and finding landmarks that remained familiar after a three-year hiatus. Since the last time I was there they installed this sweet pool where we whiled away the hot afternoon hours swimming or reading by the pool side. In the evening Deb and I hung out with some other girls from church, getting to know them better and feeding our souls.

Who deserves such a perfect day?

A Bit of Bliss

Tonight we had supper with my dad's cousin Dale and his wonderful wife Dorthea. They work an enormous and very beautiful dairy farm here in PA, but they have an amazing world view, reflected in the fact that each of their five children have traveled extensively over the globe to further God's kingdom.



Playing with their four little kittens in the big ole barn, being observed by suspicious heifers (teenage cows!), and feeding a bottle to a ravenous calf under the shade of a grape vine fills me with the joy and peace evident in God's beautiful creation.

Some Ballet Mag! Pics.......... Finally!

These are all the girls from my hall in Gillespie Dorm. (L to R top: Hannah, Stephanie, Kelsey, our counselor Naomi, myself, Rachel, my roomate Sarah, and Reagan. Bottom are: Alecia, Emily, Rebecca, Jaci, and Megan.)


Dear roomie Sarah and me.

Rebecca and me right before The Hiding Place performance.

After having a ball in the warm Mississippi rain. One of my best memories!

Well, I don't have any more pics in this pc..... so you'll just have to wait for more! :D