Is Spring here yet?!

    As 2011 unfolds, it's proving to be another busy year. Even so, January has moved a bit slow, as it usually does! I have been swamped with school. I had decided to take an algebra class just to brush up on my skills (or lack thereof) before I take my two chemistry classes.  Many of you know that I loath math, and that's putting it lightly; so having to work on it a couple of hours every night of the week is unpleasant to say the least. I know I'll appreciate it later though! Andrew has a difficult class and professor this semester too, so needless to say we're a couple of nerds lately!
    In addition to homework, church activities have us running as well.  Andrew is playing in the band and they have quite a few trips planned for this year!  They got a lot of publicity when they played at the National Youth Gathering last summer, and now it is paying off.  A lot of groups around the country are contacting the 211 Band to play for their events.  They won't be able to do them all, but it is awesome to even have so many churches and groups ask!  God is really working through them!  I am also busy at church...in addition to joining the sound team, I also am a part of a committee.  I am on a committee with a group of ladies to bring the women of our church together and introduce some new Bible studies to give women more choices.  We have an event coming up this Friday and after that I will be leading a Bible study with a very good friend of mine on a book called Rocking the Roles.  I am so so excited, it's my first time to lead a Bible study.  The book talks about the Biblical roles in marriage and challenges our culture's tendency lately to have a "roleless" marriage.  I love my husband and love learning how to constantly improve our marriage and our relationship with God; so I am just as excited to learn new things myself as I am to lead other women in learning about God's plan for their marriage.
    I am so ready for spring!  We have had a couple of beautiful days....well, beautiful for here, it was in the 40s!  It has melted much of our snow, however more is coming over the next couple of days.  I am excited for February only because behind it comes March and April!  While it is still chilly then, I'd give anything to have temperatures above the teens, twenties, and thirties!  It's been a fairly mild winter, but true to this time of year, we're all going a bit stir crazy!  I'm ready to get out of the house and do some things in the yard, play with Tonka without freezing, AND I really miss Andrew's and my walks that we frequently take around the Haymarket (neat historic type down town area) when the weather is nice... Well I suppose I have rambled enough and sorry, it's also my first post with no pictures!  Love you all so much!

- Carrie

Christmas and New Years

Christmas was a beautiful and BUSY time, which is probably why I haven't written in a month!
We went to Andrew's parent's house from Thursday through Sunday. We spent some time with family friends playing games and having dinner, as well as some nice family time. We had family Christmas on Christmas Eve and on Sunday, we celebrated with Andrew's grandma on his mom's side. I got Andrew a printer/scanner/copier. It sounds lame, but he has to usually complete his Masters work a day before so he can scan it in at work the morning that it's due; now he'll have a little more time to do it and scan it in at home! Andrew spoiled me this year, he got me a picture for the house, a Nebraska football jersey, AND an extra last minute surprise, he got me this beautiful dress I wanted for the cruise we are going on with my dad and family later this year. We were also very excited that his parents got us a Garmin! Andrew said I can keep it in my car so he won't have to get multiple phone calls when I need directions and/or am lost :) Here are a few pictures from Christmas:



My new jersey!





SO happy to have someone to tell me where to go!
His name is Daniel and he has a British accent :)




Waiting patiently for his gifts



The family




Andrew, Tonka, and me

 Once we recovered from Christmas, it was time for New Years. That weekend we really just did some organizing around the house, which was nice. New Years Eve we went down the street and rang in 2011 with some of Andrew's college friends. It was low key and we had a good time...it was even better that they live about 5 houses up from us, so we didn't have to worry about any crazy drivers on the road. New Years day we just did more things around the house, and spent the day together. It was a relaxing way to end a year that was anything but that! I make a scrapbook for every year Andrew and I have been married. So I have been working on our third year together as we're leading up to our third wedding anniversary coming this May; as I go through all of the photos from this past year, I've realized this is going to be my biggest scrapbook yet! It has been an amazing year: I have gotten to see my family more this year, than any year since I've moved here, we welcomed a new nephew Kal and new cousin Parker into the family, Andrew went to China, and we had some amazing trips  and events with the 211 Band. I am eager to see what God has in store with us this year! Andrew has a cousin getting married in April, we will celebrate 3 years of marriage in May, a cruise in November, and Texas for Christmas...all of this planned and it's only January! I pray God will bless all of y'all as much as he has blessed us! Happy 2011 everyone and here's to an early spring in Nebraska (as you can see I'm trying to will it into existence with my blog background change)!!

- Carrie