So I thought i'd upload a few pics from thanksgiving....and from those who think it can't be done....there before you is a fully vegan thanksgiving meal:P

okay...so last day of November....can hardly believe it.
This IS the best time of the year in my opinion! I am afraid I'll be missing my Eastern Washington feet and feet of snow though....
I do love snow!
Thanksgiving was great....actually quite nice...i was surprised....
except for the hours BEFORE thanksgiving dinner.....when all the people we drove to Yakima to see magically disappeared....(and I'm still not sure where they went)...It seem they had better things to do:)
anyway....time to focus on Christmas.
I know we have made Christmas into a bunch of tradition....
but i must say....I love tradition!
anyway....I'm off to put up my christmas tree.....
its a miracle I have made it this long without putting it up!

Off to celebrate...

Well the hours are passing....as i sit at home...bags packed...ready and waiting for my hubby to get home so we may make the drive to yakima. Am i looking forward to it....no. I say no only because it seems a long trip for nothing.....seeing we have to be back by friday so that jon can work.
Also....it would seem we are having thanksgiving dinner at my inlaws inlaws......which are quite a carnivorous bunch...making it hard for a vegan like me to enjoy her thanksgiving feast. ugh...my brain is screaming!
oh well...i shall make the best of it.
It is thanksgiving afterall.....and i should be thankful is suppose:P

Well we have had our youngest "child" for about a month now....so I had to post a pic. Our babies.....soooo full of personality:P

Back again...reflecting

Okay I'm back....seems that as I am not yet used to this sight being one of my "regulars" I forgot the password and was to lazy to do anything about it. But i know that writing is soo good for me once i get back into it. So...I will continue in hopes that that love for the written word resurfaces:P

I think that life is just now starting to calm down. I just now feel as though we are starting to settle where we are. We have lived in Mount Vernon since June but is hard when you don't know anyone...I tend to feel isolated. I am a people person and its hard when i don't have any people!
I am thankful that after a year and a half we actually have a church....even though i don't feel totally comfortable yet. Its not that there is anything wrong with it...it just hard to get close to people when you only see the backs of their heads a few hours a week. I long for good friendships.....I really don't do well without them. I have my dearest Abz and Mal, both of which live back in Idaho so its hard being all alone. I love my hubby.....but i need other people too:P

It takes me so long to open up to people.....I think it because i put so much into a relationship....I am not one of those people who can have lots and lots of great relationships and maintain them all. I put my heart and soul into my friendships....because they are that important to me.
There are plenty of women at the church.....but they have all known each other for a while....and its hard to feel like I belong..........I'm working on it thought.

I feel now.....that in my life it is time for me to start over. I think that thats why God allowed us to move here....a fresh start. And I thank Him for that.
Its not that I have spent the last two years hardened...although some people have thought that....its just that I HAD to be the strong one....my family and friends around me NEEDED me to be...I saw that......and I tried to do my best but obviously i didn't go about that quite the right way....I did not pull my strength fully from the Lord.
All the while i was broken inside.....and for fear of letting my loved ones down i hid it.
That continued to break me. And i allowed it to put a wedge between my Lord and I.
I saw it all along...it wasn't a surprise to me.
But now...now is the time to heal. And it is a slow process......I have soooo much to be thankful for and i need to start living like I AM thankful for them.
There are still things that i don't understand.....but I'm okay with it....and even though i went through a hard time i see how strong it is making me now. strength is Christ Jesus.
I also see how strong our hardships have in turn made my marriage...I would never want to go through them again...but i'm thankful we did.....and I am thankful for what the Lord has made of us!!!!
anyway enough rambling.....just felt the need to exclaim that.....Christ has made me whole.......and for once in a long time....I fell it...I feel whole. Praise Jesus!

-Lyss

On being open...

I...am generally not an open person unless i truly trust you. And even then it takes a lot to let people see all of me. But once i have found those people whom i can love and trust I hold on very tight to them.
I saw....once again...last night just how blessed I am with the husband that God has so graciously provided for me. He is...amazing. He is my buddy, my confidant, my fellow debater, my fellow adventurer, my "lets just stay in bed and watch a movie...maybe order pizza" buddy. He is by best friend. And i see more and more every day how important that is.
I honestly can't imagine being in a marriage with anyone other that your best friend. Having a bond beyond sex is seemingly inconceivable to our modern society, and I don't know why.
I am looking beyond the same sex marriages and the incredibly high divorce rate that almost exceeds the marriage rate. Beyond those things....(even though i think them most terrible!!!)...we come to the simple, healthy, biblical marriage between a man and a woman, a husband and a wife, even that has become dirty. Marriage is more of a cuss word now that a word representing something we should cherish. How sad that marriage has become an afterthought....something that comes after people have lived together for 7 years or after the birth of their 4th child. Instead of congratulations when learning of an engagement or upcoming marriage...more often than not....come the question of "Why?". Now that why could either be a "What did they get themselves into, and why do they have to get married now?" Or "Whats the purpose of getting married.....you can live the life without the ties"
anyway....I know i'm ranting....but i just don't get it. I don't understand peoples logic. I don't understand or like what marriage has become to both the secular and the christian world. We should be ashamed.

But....
I praise God for the Husband i have....and the marriage i have....though its not perfect it is made wonderful in the Lord.

hmmm....okay off to make dinner