new year forts

 We've spent the last few days rebounding (mostly the house and the laundry and it needed it!) and prepping for the next four crazy weeks.

Tomorrow my dad and Cindy from Ohio and one of our very favorite MKs (missionary kids) Ethan, from New Jersey, are heading to Jackson.  Dad's coming for Lily's thirteenth (13?!?!) birthday on Sunday, and Ethan for Mason and Brooke's wedding also on Sunday.  Sunday, one of our good Haiti missionary friends who is just now starting his doctorate at Wesley Biblical Seminary is coming for a week of on-campus intensives and as soon as we all get back from that wedding, it'll be so good to see Steve. Several people are staying with us and several with Lady Jane next door (who is celebrating her 90th! in a few weeks), and so I'm just getting on menus, meals, beds and finally have down Christmas. 

Matt also heads to Florida this week for a president's conference of some kind and has a whirlwind week with doctoral students coming in from everywhere...so we're just buckling down and I'm THANKFUL for a few mostly quiet days to catch up and get ahead. 

My bestie Shelley sent us Thai one night, our dear friends took the kiddos one afternoon and had us for dinner that night (mopping and vacuuming is SO much more effective when the kids aren't home :) and time with the McCartney's is always so treasured) and Cindy even sent us pizza tonight...which means New Years Eve at the Ayars is pizza and fort building with the last of the Christmas lights. Lily and Sofie have mighty plans for staying up till midnight, even if mom and dad have opposite plans.  

Today Nora and I made our new "joy jar" for the year...a jar we slip little answered prayers, fun memories and unexpected blessings into throughout the year. Looking through last years this morning really blew the kids and I away with how many prayers He answered this past year, number one of which being finding us a church.  So many of our other answered prayers for friends, outreach and growth have come from that one major prayer we had this time last year.  

This year's prayer theme is dad...so thankful we'll have a few days together this week before he starts chemo. 

Thankful for you each