Huggins Family Christmas Letter 2008
I was not going to send a Christmas letter this year, but upon receiving one from an old friend promptly on December 1st I changed my mind. It’s a nice way to let those living further away get a yearly peek into our lives. Stuart and I feel we have grieved, laughed, forgiven, healed, loved and cherished each other more this past year than in the history of our entire relationship. We have grown as individuals and as a couple and feel stronger and happier in our marriage than ever before!
As far as life goes, 2008 was the first year since we have been married that we did not welcome a new niece or nephew. We are blessed with three beautiful nieces and three adorable nephews, as well as another baby on the way in the Middle East. Stuart and I began attending Evangel Community Church this last January and we became leaders in the youth group this fall and now spend a lot of time trying to love (and control J) mass amounts of young people every Friday night. Stuart instantly made wonderful connections with the boys; it may have something to do with when Stuart brought boxes of fireworks and firecrackers out in the middle of the night on a retreat weekend!! They always say, girls marry men just like their fathers J September of this year Stuart become an officially licensed millwright! After many years of hard work, it all paid of. He works for a company in Windsor that he is very happy at and hopes to eventually get into a higher management position. I feel like an honorary American working for one of the Big Three! I work in the legal department of a company sublet by General Motors and I handle their legal cases for the state of New York. It is definitely not something I ever pictured myself doing, but the job is great and who knew office work could ever be so fun!
This last year and upcoming year is one for new traveling experiences. This summer Stuart and I, along with friends traveled what we called “Stu and Barclee’s Dirty South Tour”. We visited 10 states in 8 days, swam in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, enjoyed southern comfort food in Alabama, stood in the spot where Elvis was born in Mississippi, walked Beale Street in Memphis and wore cowboy boots in Nashville. We than returned home to sign our lives away to my father (not the last time I am sure J ) as an agreement to no gifts of any sort for a year and a half in exchange for airplane tickets to the Middle East to see our nieces and Levi and Theresa. The plan as of now is to visit at the end of February 2009 and we could not be more excited.
I suppose our biggest news is the purchase of our first home! We purchased a lovely bungalow on a quiet street here in Chatham. The inside is full of character with high ceilings, fireplace and lots of Victorian style windows. The dark wooden floor makes it feel like I am walking in a cottage and that satisfies a little of my “Northern Ontario Homesickness” We have a very large yard considering we are still in the city, and it is home to two apple trees, a pear tree, three ponds and vines of concord grapes. We have our own little oasis just a step out the back door and we are eager to plant this spring! Stuart also thinks the big yard is a perfect excuse to get a puppy!
God has been faithful to us beyond all measures this year, and we hope and pray the same to all reading this.
As far as life goes, 2008 was the first year since we have been married that we did not welcome a new niece or nephew. We are blessed with three beautiful nieces and three adorable nephews, as well as another baby on the way in the Middle East. Stuart and I began attending Evangel Community Church this last January and we became leaders in the youth group this fall and now spend a lot of time trying to love (and control J) mass amounts of young people every Friday night. Stuart instantly made wonderful connections with the boys; it may have something to do with when Stuart brought boxes of fireworks and firecrackers out in the middle of the night on a retreat weekend!! They always say, girls marry men just like their fathers J September of this year Stuart become an officially licensed millwright! After many years of hard work, it all paid of. He works for a company in Windsor that he is very happy at and hopes to eventually get into a higher management position. I feel like an honorary American working for one of the Big Three! I work in the legal department of a company sublet by General Motors and I handle their legal cases for the state of New York. It is definitely not something I ever pictured myself doing, but the job is great and who knew office work could ever be so fun!
This last year and upcoming year is one for new traveling experiences. This summer Stuart and I, along with friends traveled what we called “Stu and Barclee’s Dirty South Tour”. We visited 10 states in 8 days, swam in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, enjoyed southern comfort food in Alabama, stood in the spot where Elvis was born in Mississippi, walked Beale Street in Memphis and wore cowboy boots in Nashville. We than returned home to sign our lives away to my father (not the last time I am sure J ) as an agreement to no gifts of any sort for a year and a half in exchange for airplane tickets to the Middle East to see our nieces and Levi and Theresa. The plan as of now is to visit at the end of February 2009 and we could not be more excited.
I suppose our biggest news is the purchase of our first home! We purchased a lovely bungalow on a quiet street here in Chatham. The inside is full of character with high ceilings, fireplace and lots of Victorian style windows. The dark wooden floor makes it feel like I am walking in a cottage and that satisfies a little of my “Northern Ontario Homesickness” We have a very large yard considering we are still in the city, and it is home to two apple trees, a pear tree, three ponds and vines of concord grapes. We have our own little oasis just a step out the back door and we are eager to plant this spring! Stuart also thinks the big yard is a perfect excuse to get a puppy!
God has been faithful to us beyond all measures this year, and we hope and pray the same to all reading this.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is FAITHFUL” – Hebrews 10:23