What could be better when trying to forget that finals are around the corner than to throw a party. Not just any party will do- we had to throw a cheesy sweater christmas party. The cheesier the better...good food, unbelievable styles, classic Christmas videos, and good friends.  It was the perfect way to get into the Christmas Spirit. 

This Thanksgiving break had a sad beginning, but a magnificent ending. Monday morning Annie and I found out that my Grandmother Bowie passed away. Although it was difficult to hear that someone you love has passed away it is amazing to see how God blessed our family. Grandmother has been living with Alzheimer's and over the past three years has not known even her own children. Because of her Alzheimer's she has had no pain in the last years of her life, and the family has been able to take her large real estate business and as of Friday, before she died, the business paid off every outstanding debt.
Also because she passed away over Thanksgiving our entire family was able to be together for the week, so we spent the time sharing stories of her magnificent life.


Thanksgiving dayThanksgiving day was our first time Annie and I jumped back and forth between families, and we loved it. We began with breakfast at my parents, luch with her parents, and Thanksgiving dinner back with my parents. Great food, lots of jumping on the trampoline with kids, and even more games of hide and go seek. What great fun.

Hiking, Hot tubbing, and hanging out with the Family Saturday, was a day of fun. After an e

motional week it was great to head up to the lodge to spend time hanging out with family. In the cold air all around the kids had fun getting into the hot tub while everyone else hiked up the mountain to the Appalachian trial.

Well after tonight it has become clear that there is nothing like Duke Basketball!!! Tonight Annie and I (along with my grandfather and 2 other cousins) made our way into the tightly packed Cameron stadium. As we watched people with devil tridents and painted chests scream at the top of their lungs, we soon found ourselves overcome with excitement to join the crowd and cheer for our BLUE DEVILS.

HALLOWEEN ON FRANKLIN STREET


This Halloween 75,000 people flooded the main street running through UNC's campus dressed in their best costumes, so of course Annie and I had to go. Our favorite costumes were the Tetrus pieces, Mr Peanut, and a man dressed as a woman giving birth. Annie went as the Broadway "Annie," and I went as the dancing man from the new ipod commercial.











RALEIGH HALF MARATHON
There is nothing like a 13.1 mile jog to get you going in the morning. Annie and I hopped out of bed Sunday morning and headed out into the cold dark so that we could go run in Raleigh's first marathon. Joining about 5 thousand other friends at the starting line, Annie and I had fun seeing Raleigh by foot for the first time.


THE WAY OF THE DUKIES
Taking classes at Duke has been a faith building challenge. Every week I feel that God is pulling and shaping my understandings of Him and how to read the Bible. Although I am being taught to wrestle with the tensions, academics, controversies, and historicity issues- it has become more clear to me than ever that our God is a God who has a wild love for us. He is willing to abandon all so that we may come close to Him in a intimate love relationship. This love is not only worthy of our enormous joy and praise, but also worthy of abandoning all to following our King.

God is a God who likes to keep life exciting. It was three weeks before our wheels touched down in Africa that we found out we would be moving accross the world. Annie and I had been praying that if God wanted us in Africa He needed to open the doors. How would we know it was God leading? Annie wanted to be a kindergarten teacher and we only had from mid January to June. Sure enough as December came to a close a call came and WGM let us know that they needed a kindergarten teacher from Jan 11-June 2nd.
When we arived home Annie and i had plans to attend Gordon Conwell in Boston. We were excited...Boston- its like NYC and Charleston coliding. Then God began to shaking life up all over again. Two weeks before leaving we learned that Gordon Conwell was not accredited with the Methodist church. Within an hour we learned that Duke was interested in us joining their program, partially because we had been missionaries in Africa. We had a tough decision ahead of us and Annie and I laughed as we told people that we were moving on August 26th, but we did not know where. After looking at both schools again we decided that life at Duke is where God wants us.
GO BLUE DEVILS!!!

Wow!!! It is always exciting to take off and follow where God has been leading, but it feels so good to come home. Last night Annie and I arrived back in Tennessee with an airport full of excited family. We can't wait to tell everyone about our experience in person. Now we can take time to thank you all for your prayers, calls, emails, comments, and support. We have learned and grown so much. It is wild to think that six months ago Annie and I were stepping into active ministry in a third world country, and now living for Christ continues back in America.

Just to fill you in on a few snap shots of the Europe travels...
Greece- Greek Isle of Mykonos


Rome- Inside the Roman Colosseum

Italy- Venice
France- Eiffel Tower