Ahhh, that new car smell...

We finally got the new van we have been waiting for! Not the color we expected, but we are very happy with it! The kids love the way the seats can fold into the floor and the headphones that come with the DVD player. It also has a keyless starter so I can warm it up without going outside, yay! Thanks, honey!

Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Christmas eve and Christmas day were full of food and fun, despite missing Joseph, Emily, and Jody very much. Thanks to wonderful friends and neighbors! You have made us feel very blessed this season!

All I want for Christmas....

Gracie FINALLY lost that second front tooth! It has been hanging by a thread for days driving the rest of us crazy and it finally came out tonight, just in time for Christmas eve. Now she can sing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"! We spent the afternoon visiting with our dear friends the Sava's and then over to the Blocks to attempt to make gingerbread houses. The houses weren't all that we had hoped for, but we sure had fun! I thank God everyday for the wonderful friends that are helping make this holiday special. Joseph and Emily are in Louisiana for the whole winter break and without them AND Jody, it has been a difficult time for us. Although you sure couldn't tell it from the pics! ;)

Holiday Happenings

Been a busy week since Jody left. God knows we need to be busy to keep from missing him too badly! We have had a cookie exchange for the teens, tea for Gracie and her buddies, practiced our nativity, classroom gingerbread house making, Brownie cookie party, friends over for some delicious Columbian hot chocolate and "chiming", and our first snow! Whew! If this keeps up, Feb. will be here before we know it! At least, we hope so...

Christmas Letter 2010

Advent is a time of waiting. Patiently and joyfully awaiting the birth of our Savior. As I reflect on this last year, I realize our family has had it's fair share of waiting! We have tried to be patient and we have tried to be joyfull and we have been blessed abundantly because of it! This year without Jody has had it's struggles and difficulties but it has shown us the mercy and love of Christ in so many ways that we can only feel grateful. We have felt every prayer lifted up by our family and friends and we have drawn closer to each other and to God during this deployment. We have benefitted from the help and hospitality of many friends and neighbors. Thank you!
Our year started with an unprecedented snowstorm that kept the kids out of school for most of the week prior to Jody's departure. It didn't, however, keep the flights bringing family and friends to visit away! God is sooo in the details!
Our summer was full of "pool time," with two lifeguards and five out of seven kids on the neighborhood swim team, we were at the pool every day, literally! We also managed to get to Alabama so Joseph could visit colleges (It looks like Auburn...I know, I know...) and we could visit friends. My sister generously came and watched the kids while I was able to meet Jody in Egypt TWICE (God is sooo good!), once in May and once in August, which just happened to coincide with our twentieth anniversary, while Jody was running conferences there.
The fall brought school, with two of my most apprehensive kiddos getting teachers that they had had previously (How is that for God helping ease their stress?). It also brought football and cheer and scouts and girls on the run and brownies and, you get the picture. I think God wanted me to be plenty busy so I wouldn't have time to feel sorry for myself! Fall also eventually brought Daddy home! We were so excited to have Jody home for Thanksgiving, the annual Christmas tree "hunt", and St. Nicholas day (Santa presents!). It was the best two weeks of the year! It was hard to see him leave again but we are happy to now be on a two digit countdown until his return.
So, again, we are waiting. Patiently and joyfully, just as we wait for Christmas, because God has blessed us so abundantly and we put all our confidence in him.
We wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love,
The Ogea's
Jody, Rachel, Joseph, Emily, Ramie, Drew, Gracie, Maggie and Charlie

Jolly Old St. Nick!

We have a wonderful tradition that benefits us in many ways. It is the observation of "St. Nicholas Day." Dec. 6, the Catholic church celebrates this endearing, holy man and our family does as well. Stockings are filled and a present or two from "Santa" await the kids on the morning of Dec. 6. It has been wonderful for many reasons but the best has been that it really frees our family to concentrate on Jesus' birthday on the 25th and exchanging just a few gifts among ourselves in honor of his birth (while eating birthday cake, of course! We happily celebrated while Jody was still here to get his present too!

Lights, camera?

It was freezing but those lights were going up! And Maggie wasn't going to miss a photo-op!

Tree Time!

One of the reasons Jody waited so long (9 months!) for his midtour break was so we could have him home for some "traditions" that would just be heartbreaking without him. Hunting down and cutting down a fresh tree is one of those traditions. Everyone looks forward to this and

whether it is snowing, raining, or sleeting, we get a tree on the appointed day. Thankfully, our day was beautiful and just cold enough. The kids found a tree about ten paces into the farm and then decided they needed to scope out the whole acre just to make sure it was the perfect one. You can't just walk in and cut one! You have to search! It was wonderful to have Daddy with them and it is obvious he enjoys it as much as anyone. One year I suggested just buying a precut tree and I was almost disowned! This is one of those traditions that cannot be altered! Pulling out the decorations is also something everyone loves to do. Joseph wasn't feeling well so he isn't in any pics. The rest of us had a blast decorating and listening to Christmas music. It was so good to be a family again.

Great Wolf Lodge!

The kids and I spent a night at Great Wolf with friends at the beginning of the summer. The whole time we were there all I heard was "Dad would love this place!" Well, he did! We had an amazing mini vacation and completely wore ourselves out. (Jody and I, that is!)