Back home and going GLOBAL

Just a quick note to encourage you to read the latest posting on our Africa/global blog spot....(address to the right)...I found an interesting post on a friend's blog... about some of the most neglected people and issues our world is facing today. How can we stay involved?

Home Sweet Home

We are back!! After a long, but quite uneventful journey...we arrived home last night. When you travel on a rather straight flight (Copenhagen - Seattle) it is quite a shock to the system to suddenly find yourself .....in your own place....but it is nice. We have had such a great visit with family and friends in Sweden, seen so many things and met so many people....and it will take time to process...and to adjust to the time change. Jet-lag seems to haunt us in a different way these days....and yes, you guessed it, here we are in front of the fire place at 3 in the morning.... any suggestions how to beat jet-lag....other then "catching up on work" at that early hour ?? Will get more pictures for you to enjoy as time goes.

PS. Check out the AFRICA blog to the right.....we are updating and praying for KENYA!!

Christmas fun in Sweden

My sister Kerstin and her kids, Katarina, Peder, Emilie and Markus

The Sisters...Annika, Ulrika, Ingamaj, me and Kerstin

The Cousins - Peder, Katarina, Amanda, Filippa, Emilie, Markus, Josef and Andraus

Sweden in December.....Sweden at Christmas...dark, lights and family...This is definitely the darkest time of the year and it does not get light until way after 8 in the morning...and then it is pitch dark by 4 in the afternoon again...plus overcast and fog all day...imagine, this is where I grew up...and I had forgotten... BUT the Christmas lights everywhere are nice and it is beautiful everywhere. Christmas Eve we spent with my sister up country...and all the family was there. Christmas Day we were 25 for dinner...all the cousins came (except one) and we also took some fun pictures. Lot's of them!! So, guess what? I will post more when we get back home next week.

With my sister Kerstin
Amy, Andraus, sister Ingamaj, Pat, my Mom and her friend Sten
All the girls

Sweden in my heart

We have now been in Sweden for a week....and this is the first chance we have had to write and update this blog. We have had a GREAT week in Malmo with my sister Annika and her family and the two little ones....and we have done quite a number of pre Christmas activities....fun!! More pictures and info will come ....it is WONDERFUL to be here!!

Window decorations!!

The Ginger bread house

My sister and her girls

Sweden

I can hardly wait. On Monday, we fly to Sweden to be with family for Christmas. Among those we look forward to seeing soon are Miss Amanda and Miss Filippa, my precious little nieces!

Another Christmas Party

You might think that Christmas Parties is all we do on this end...well, not really, but it is definitely part of what's up this time of the year. Last night our Growth Group gathered for food, fellowship, sharing, carols and a white Elephant gift exchange. It was a lot of fun and we sure appreciate everyone in our group.

An Annual Event

Yesterday was the Annual Global Outreach Christmas Party at our house. A great time of warmth, fellowship, sharing, ethnic food, carols and Scripture reading in a variety of languages. How we love our people!!