La Sonya

Oh my word, Friday night was SOOO much fun. Paula, the youngest sister, started trying on all her old dresses and it soon turned into an AMAZING night. We (all the women)got into the festive spirit and put on a little fashion show of dresses through the ages :O) Enjoy.

Here’s the account of the Christmas I spent with L’Esther. We arrived and they ushered us in. The kids were chomping at the bit to eat so we could open presents! It’s tradition! (there are lots here: Grandma and Grandpa D, their 3 daughters and their families= Roberts-5, Paula-1, Sexton-7 and me :O) I love it, we all have tiny gifts with our names on it that they put at our plate so we know where to sit and they change each meal. After we ate we all sit in the living room and the youngest kids pass out all the gifts. Then each person has a pile of gifts. We go in a circle and open one gift at a time. It lasted awhile but was fun. Esther made me parasite cookies. They were in three shapes with names of our parasites on them; Wallaby, Parker, and Parliament. Funny! After all the gifts are opened they bring out plates of treats- cookies and fudge. The next morning we woke up and we gathered yet again to open the stockings. Esther got some book for Christmas that looked good so on Friday I

Praise God I had no problems flying yesterday. I even was able to get on an earlier flight, that get this- left earlier and because of delays was able to arrive a bit later than my original flight was! Esther’s family. It was sad to leave my snow of over 3 feet. Esther and her brother, Matt, picked me up in Seattle, Wa and the 3 of us crammed into her dad’s little truck. It was remenicent of Tchad :O) Once we arrived at her Grandma’s house introductions were made and once again it felt like everyone knew me and I them. I love hang’n out with Esther, we always re-tell our crazy stories. Then we laugh and laugh. I think if I had a sister she would have been like her.

Shh, I feel gross today. My sinuses are killing me. I think I found a bit of a cold laying around and I picked it up. I woke up at 1 and took some drugs then again at 8 when I got up and showered. Then I really got sleepy from all the drugs and slept again. Right now I feel heavy still.

I went for a walk yesterday by myself. It was fun. I took the two dogs with me. I sat in a giant snow drift, burrowed a bit, ate snow and my favorite was just standing there and listing in the silence. It was quite moving for me to hear the voice of God in it all. I went for a walk again today. I went down to the pond and had to make my own path down there! It was so beautiful. I sat in the snow and called home to Dad and Mom.

Well this morning at 3am Liz flew off to loma linda, ca. She was crazy sick the whole time. I was glad to be able to sid with her and hold her while she threw up. But it would have been nicer to goof off with her. I guess I'll just need to go visit her in Loma Linda.

Yesterday I played in the winter wonderland. Liz's uncle brought his 4 wheeler to play with. So Kyle (Rachel's husband/ Liz's younger brother in law) and I went out and drove aournd a bit. Then we came back and hooked up the tobagan! Shew'ey! Way fun! I got really cold. Then after lunch and x-mas exchange we all went out, Rachel, Kyle, the 2 younger cousins and me. 3 on the 4 wheeler and 2 on the sled. It started to snow again so it was a bit painful to be ridding the sled, lots of frozen eyelashes. We played outside for at least an hour. Good times. Meeting all fo Liz's family was great fun too. Her aunts paid me such nice compliments. One said she could see manerisems of Liz in me. The other one said that I was like one of the family. All those movies and pictures and stories and answered phones helped us all to get to know each other. One of her cousins was looking thorugh the foto album Liz made her mom and looked at me and said I looked a lot different. I think

I made it safe and sound. No plane delays, no lay overs! I've entered a winter wonderland. The plane was flying over the mountans covered with snow and we started out desent. As we entered a cloud, I thought to myself when I leave the cloud it will be like waking up in a Christmas card. Sure enough I've woken up and here I am! Liz's family is great. They are all fun and caring. Friday night was very relaxing. Liz and I have been catching up and sharing stories. I'm sure we will relive a few over the next few days. I must say, it's colder here than it EVER was in Tchad :O) I'm learning so much about snow! If it's really cold, below 32`, the snow is fine and light and not compactable for making snowmen. If it's really, really cold it can't snow at all! Below zero = no snow! I went to church yesterday the snow was beautiful. There's a large section of no trees, so there were miles of white, rolling hills spotted with colourful houses and cars. I enj

It's funny because where I come from the now melts the next day. All Sabbath my heart had a small fear/sinking feeling that it was gonig to all melt away. (not that over 2 feet of snow can melt in one night) I saw it dripping from the iceicles and was down hearted. Never fear I was reasured by those around me that it would not melt away because was still quite cold outside. In fact it snowed last night again. The winter wonderland is continuing! Haza! To me it feels like I could make an object lesson out of this. God is what North-West snow is to a girl from the South. To me I have had a sinking fear the first few days that all this magic would just disapear. I was afraid that it would be gone the next time I looked out this window. I was worried that I would miss it all. But I was judging that on my past experience of snow in the South. Not snow in the North-West. I also have judged God based on past expereinces with people who are not GOD, where they have let me down, hurt me and

good golly this is going to be a LONG flight. 4 1/2 hours to get to Vegas. Then a couple hours to fly north to Spokane, Wa. Plus a three hour time difference. I'll get there hopefully at 3:30 or 4 Washington time, but 6:30 or 7 my time. . . a LONG day. It'll be worth it :O)

Nashville airport. The first leg of my journey. I got up at 4:15 am in order to be at the shuttle by 5:15 am. *Note to self* there is a time difference between Nashville and Chattanooga. Ugg. I could have slept in longer. When i passed the Collegedale temp sign it said 62`. No coat needed here. Liz called me last night to make sure I don't have any cancelations because of snow. She also told me it was okay to stop praying for a white Christmas. THey have more snow than normal . . . 2 feet! I'm not quite sure what to expect. I went to Colorado for a week my sr year in high school for our ski trip, but that was almost 10 years ago. Will I get really cold? do I get top lay in it? I can't believe it! Last year this time I got cold in the 60` temp. We all sat around sweating in teh American House dreaming of a white Christmas and now it looks like I'll get it! I can't wait to see Liz, it's been 8 months. That's a long time. So much has happened, dreams have chang

We road on the Southern Belle for 2 hours then walked accross the bridge to Coollege park and rode the Carosel. I rode a dino! It was quite fun.

I sit here waiting the last 15 min until I need to go out to the bus to be a beautiful sponsor at the Christmas Ball here at GCA. I am all dressed up waiting. Waiting for a prince charming, waiting for my time to come and be all that I was created to be. I look amazing and am all doll'd up in my thrift store dress that makes me feel like a princess. It's so poofy I'm not sure how I'll sit in the bus, but I like it that way. Tonight is my night to feel lovely and enchanted. If by chance you are out by the Southern Belle in Chattanooga, Tn you might see a raident beauty around, it'll be me. Feel free to say hello. Sincerly, the Belle of the Ball.