The break has been a busy but good break. I have worked a lot of hours in my job and done a lot of studying. It has been good to have a break from the rigors of classes. The week after finals we went up to a cabin in Brown County Indiana for 2 nights and 3 days. That was a really nice time together. The weather was cold and we enjoyed times around the fireplace. We also went hiking and played a lot of games. The lodge up the road that rented the cabins also had a very large indoor water park which we all enjoyed.
We have been able to hike quite a bit in the last month. It is a great time of year to hike here because the mosquitoes are dead, the poison ivy is dormant, the snakes are sleeping, and the heat is gone. So far, it has been unusually warm also with temperatures getting as high as the sixties, but mostly staying in the mid fifties.
Christmas was a nice time for us this year. It was weird because it was the first time in which we did not spend at least part of the Christmas season with family. Yet, it was nice to be together even though we missed family.
Now, we are exactly halfway through the winter break. However, for me, the break is mostly over! I start a two week class tomorrow on the doctrine of the church taught by Mark Dever. I am looking forward to the class and the reading for the class has been really good. It has helped solidify some questions in my mind regarding the nature and function of the church.
Jess and the girls are doing well. Kate just finished reading Jane Austin’s Pride & Prejudice. She is a reading machine. Rose is really growing up as a little girl. She is becoming much more articulate and playful. Little Tess is just as spunky as ever. She almost always has a twinkle in her eye and is trying to make us laugh. She often comes up and says something goofy to make us laugh. Beth is nearing a year old now. That seems hard to believe. Her top front tooth came in forked so that is weird. It makes her grin really goofy and she grins a lot! So far, she reminds us of a cross between Kate and Rose. She is determined and persistent, yet when she gets fussy, she can fuss with the best of them!
The below pictures are the story in photos of the last month. Enjoy!
Jess and the girls in front of a really cool tree we found on our hike this past Saturday.
Tess has developed a great love for Minnie stuff! She got her first Minnie from my uncle Chris last year and has grown to really enjoy her!
The girls love to play with their stick horses and pretend they are either wealthy show jumpers or cowgirls. We got them some cowgirl hats and bandanas for Christmas and they wear them all the time!
One of our traditions here is watching jets around Christmas. With Louisville being the UPS hub in the US, the airport gets quite busy the week of Christmas! These Jumbo Jets are chartered by UPS. They are fun to watch!
All of the pictures below are from our cabin trip.
This is the aquatic center at the lodge in Brown County State Park. It is really nice!
Rose coming down the slide!
We went on a night adventure hike. It was fun and cold!
Playing games in front of the fire at the cabin we rented.
The girls as we are leaving for our hike from the lodge.
This is the cabin we stayed in
