So much to say...

My internet was out for 2 weeks. It was hard to be without my connection to the rest of the world, but I did go to sleep every night at a decent hour. There was a lot of little things happening around here and a few revelations. It is hard to remember them all, but I will try...
It got cold here. One day the high was 1. I also experienced ice fog. It was very thick and it put snow crystals on everything. The chain link fences turned into privacy fences. We just passed the winter solstice, so we gained 8 seconds of daylight today!! So, far I can say the winter has been nice. It is not what I expected. I expected darkness all the time and it to be so cold you could step outside. We get about 5 1/2 hours of daylight a day and while it has been cold, it isn't too bad. There was one day I stepped outside to take out the trash and my snot froze. That was weird. But on Christmas day, they are expecting the temps to be 34 degrees...that is warm here. Let's break out the flip flops!!!
JT just got back from some schooling, which he did really awesome in by the way. While he was gone, I got to experience a little of what the deployment will be like. I am going to have to learn to let some things slide around the house. While I do like a clean home, it is not as important as spending time with my children. Laundry can wait, dishes can wait til the next morning, but reading books and playing house and making the baby laugh...those are the things I will wish I did more of.
I have also realized that I am very happy and blessed. I love my life and I am very content. I have an awesome husband. He makes me laugh and he loves me more than I know. I have 3 wonderful kids. I am amazed everyday that God chose me to be their mom. I have a wonderful family. And most importantly, I am very happy with the way my relationship with God is going. I just finished the book of Acts. Reading about Paul's boldness in which he shared the Gospel is inspiring. I wish I could put into better words the way I feel. It is hard to describe it in a way for you to understand. But all I can say is I am happy...filled with Joy.
I have also tapped into my creativity. All of my Christmas presents (mostly) are handmade. I love getting handmade gifts myself. I will post the pictures of all of them once Christmas is over. Unfortunately, they will be shipped late to my parents and grandparents. I hit a snag when I gathered all my materials. I needed an inkjet printer and I have a laser printer. It took my awhile to find someone that has an inkjet printer. Now that I have, I can make the presents.
My sister-in-law arrived today in Alaska and my in-laws arrive on Christmas Eve. It will be nice to have some family in town to celebrate. I am sure I will be spoiled by all the helping hands around here.