Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008 has come and gone. This was a unique year for us in that our immediate family was together Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for the first time in a number of years. It was a great blessing that you cannot take for granted as time passes and your children grow up and begin their own lives. We are excited for what God is doing in their lives and that of their families.

Our oldest daughter Shauna and her husband Ben now live in Missouri. They were home with Elijah, Samuel and Asher. Shauna was able to stay a few extra days aloing with the boys while Ben had to fly home to preach the last Sunday in December.

Natalie our middle daughter was home from Louisville, KY where she is beginning her last semester at Southern Seminary. She was able to stay a few days before returning home. She is in the middle of J-term, an intense week where an entire semester is condensed into one week. She will be going to Niger this spring.

Katie and her husband Matthew were down from Gainesville. Katie surprised us with the news that they will be having their first child in August 09. This means grandchild number 4. It just gets better. We praise God "from whom all blessings flow."

Papa Malcom came down from Monroe in his classic '55 Ford Crown Victoria. He has spent every Christmas Eve with us in Americus since mom died in 2002. He anticipates this time of year just like a child.

Following Christmas we went to Atlanta to be with Phyllis' extended family. Katie played host and Uncle Doug, Aunt Lisa (cousins' Bella and Emily), Uncle Phil, Bai and (cousins' Tim and James) and a friend of Bai's from Laos, La. We caught up, looked at old pictures and had a wonderful time together.