Cookie Party!

So we had an amazing night full of fun and excitement!
We had a Christmas cookie decorating party for friends in our building and we also had a few friends over in early celebration of Mike's 29th bday, so we also had a bday cake too-thanks Dawn!
As I was looking out at the cookie table at the seven joy filled children excitedly decorating their cookies, I thought how funny we are having a total kid party and we don't even have kids.
Well I guess until we do we will continue to enjoy blessing other people's kids-which is a joy to our hearts.
One of our neighbors Nell who is about 10 she came over early to help me prepare everything-thanks Nell!
Now we are preparing to go to California where friends and family await us-we can't wait!

THANKSGIVING

dressing the turkey
Good job Mike, he carved it after following the techiniques of an NYC butcher-online

I am so into decorations-I love cooking but the most fun part was creating the table. The vision was leaf cookie place makers, each individually scripted with every guests name. So the vision was challenged when the cookie cutter that I had went across town for went missing-it must have hoped to freedom on the F train-ahh I was soo bummed. But being the problem solver that I am I decided to fulfill the vision through a longer route-I hand cut each cookie into a leaf! So as you can see the results are soo cute! I attached a paper leaf on the back with a thanksgiving scripture and then why we were thankful for that person. I am mooshy too.
Jumping in and almost didn't make it!
Everyone thinks silly photos are the funniest but as you can see serious ones are hilarious!
another example of how hilarious we are
we just couldn't stop with the photos-too fun!
Mike with the girls...too cool!

It was a day of JOY!!!

I was so honored to host my friends this year. I love that friends anticipate me hosting holidays, it really blesses me that people feel home here. So Mike and I and three of some of my closest girl friends, Anna, Dawn and Kay, shared this special holiday, along with Umu and her two brothers. There was opposition against Umu and her family coming, after a conversation with the eldest brother and then Umu a few times she was allowed to come (as a conservative Muslim family they don't celebrate holidays, not even birthdays so sometimes events like this can be a point of discussion). So praise God she was here with her brothers, who are soo sweet.

We had a great time together filled with friendship, fun, laughter (always), and good food. It started off with Anna filming me cooking as I call it "free form style" then we ate amazing food. And then of course quickly moved to photo shoots as you will see, then we cuddled up on the couch and watched Elf moving into the Christmas spirit. It was so special to just be!

Then we went to the hospital down the street from our house and brought our new friends thanksgiving dinner (I had made double everything that day in preparation for this-I made four pies! Unfortunately no sweet potato pie as I learned was their staple, next time guys! :P ) The men there that we have grown to love so deeply are truly a joy to my heart-(there are a few that I have built a relationship with who have been living there for over a year, some even four years. I have been going weekly bringing them yummy treats and just sharing life with them). There in the hall of the hospital we ate and laughed and talked; one of the men shared a bit of his life's story-powerful. They especially loved the hand cut leaf cookies they said "Misha you went all out this time, how do you expect us to eat something so cute!"

I am filled overflowing with joy that the Lord has chosen me to be his physical hands and feet to this group of men that from the outside are so different from me-The Lord has a way of connecting people deeply. Please join us in covering our time with them in prayer.


So the day was soo blessed from beginning to end. I am thankful for the life the Lord has built for me, every detail of it!