Happy New Year!

Every blog I write these days I want to begin in the same way:
It's hard to believe where the time has gone…
(which is quite indicative of my blogger sphere absence.)
Alas, I begin again.  Time has flown.  It has been a few weeks since I was able to last blog.  This morning I find myself racing the clock before facing the carpool line on this blustery cold morning and two hour school delay.  I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas holiday and happy new year.  Here are a few images from our time in Virginia with my side of the family:
 (For the record, my phone which also serves as my camera, remained mostly in our room during our VA visit.  Anyways, my brother in law, Dave, is pictured above enjoying a morning brew.  Dad is pictured below opening our big gift to my parents: Red Sox corn hole set.  The boards were constructed by my brother in law, Rick.  We look forward to warm weather and lots of rounds of this game!)
 My baby sis, Jess, and Rick...
 Soli and Jude enjoying their See's candies...
 Mom and Dad…
 Lenora… preciousness
 Sweet cousins: Soli, Jana, Isabella and Payton….
 After a wonderful week of hanging out, enjoying each other's company, and eating lots of good food (dad's amazing breakfasts and mom's delicious cuisine) we headed home for a quick turnaround.  "Queen" Victoria and I ran a few errands before Kentucky grandparents arrived!
 Christmas with Tony's parents.  Great joy!  James is a magnet to both his grandpas.  It is precious.  
 Mamaw, a.k.a. Mrs. Claus, passing out gifts...

 Loved my gift from Tony's sis, Lisa… beautiful bracelet.
 the rest of the crew sporting their pajama pants...
 My fabulous gift from Tony's parents...
Sunday, after worshipping with our Imago Dei family, we headed off for our 10 year anniversary trip…
(You will see a lot of pictures of us… sorry… it's because it was just the two of us :-)
 We flew to Ft. Lauderdale and stayed the night before...
 boarding the Ruby Princess and heading to sea...
 We were so excited to finally board the ship...
 and see our room which had ocean view….
 and then set sail for Princess Cays, Bahamas and Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos… glorious!






 Princess Cays - a private island.





 Grand Turk...






 Lunch back aboard ship...
 Overlooking Grand Turk...




 Couple more hours on the island...











 Our ship is on the right hand side. We joked with one another as the second cruise ship pulled up, "Our ship can eat your ship!"  Ha ha...


 Sunset at sea...

 "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handwork…." Psalm 19:1











 Our last evening aboard the Ruby Princess...





 It was an amazingly restful trip and one in which we would highly recommend.  We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to have gone and for Tony's parents' holding down the fort back home…  We returned to a wintry mess back in the U.S. which cancelled our flights and ability to get another flight until Tuesday.  So, we ended up renting a car and driving all the way back...
 We were a bit delirious on the 12 hour trip.
 But God, in his grace, granted safe travel mercies and arrival time of 1:00 AM...
 We missed this crew...
 Sweet family time...

Happy New Year!

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