Today we got all of our Christmas decorations put away! The tree is gone, the stockings are boxed up, even the mistletoe is no more. All thats left is to remove the icicle lights from the gutters surrounding the house.

We also got a LOT of cleaning done. I’m pretty sure that I did, however, lose some brain cells while cleaning the bathroom with Clorox. I need to invest in a vented mask for my cleaning tantrums.

We’ve also enjoyed a few of televisions New Year’s Day marathons. I enjoyed two episodes of MythBusters that I hadn’t seen yet and we’re currently watching nearly an entire series of “Beauty and the Geek”.

Ella has been under the weather all day today. She’s had a cold for a few days now and today it seems to have taken a turn for the worse. She still manages to crack a smile every now and then, but you can tell that she is not feeling her best. I’m sure with a good night’s rest, Ella will have a head start on getting better soon.

Tomorrow will be a full day of reacquainting myself with my duties in the office.

In 7-minutes (and counting…) 2006 will be gone and we will usher in 2007 with a glass of sparkling white grape juice!

Tonight we had individual family communion at the church. A few dozen families came and went and we pastors offered the elements and a short Scripture reading and prayer time for each family. It was a new idea that I enjoyed very much. Pastor J had even called the local Free Methodist pastor and had him come early and give our pastoral staff communion to start the evening off!

We pulled back into our carport last evening sometime right before 11PM. We were extremely exhausted and after quickly unpacking the van and feeding Ella we collapsed into bed. We enjoyed a lazy morning this morning and naps through the afternoon – oh, and a DVR’d episode of Discovery Channel’s “Man vs. Wild”!

After “family communion” tonight we headed to Applebee’s on some Christmas-present-gift cards with Thomas and Bethany and then to Wal-Mart for our sparkling grape juice.

Tomorrow we’ll attempt to sleep in a bit and then spend a majority of the day rearranging the house, removing Christmas decorations, and cleaning thoroughly. This Spring-like weather makes us think that we need to perform some Spring-cleaning!

I’m preaching on Sunday next week so this work-week will be jam-packed, too, and with Pastor J heading to Orlando for “The Gathering”, Pastor Wanda and I will have our work cut out for us this week!

The drive home from PA was interesting. I left my digital camera’s memory card at Mom and Dad’s home and realized it only 10-miles down the road, so we turned around and went back. We also took a VERY scenic route on the way home thanks to “Genevieve” – the name we’ve given my GPS. I also enjoyed chatting with some trucks on the way to PA and back to IN on my new CB Radio! Another interesting thing: we stopped at the last rest area in Ohio off of the toll road and as I sat and waited for Ella and Jess to finish in the bathroom, I saw a familiar face walking towards me. Suddenly I realized it was my fellow district youth pastor, Bryan Donaugh from New Carlisle Wesleyan Church! He and his wife were on their way back to South Bend after spending Christmas in Ohio. What a chance meeting!

While in PA for Christmas we enjoyed visits from my Aunt Bonnie & Uncle Abe Sauder from Manheim. They spent nearly an entire day with us there in Port Ann. We also enjoyed a night with Dad’s vice-chairman and family – Bob & Lisa Smith and his son, Ryan and wife-Ruth. Ryan even let us take the two four-wheelers out in the mud after dinner! On Friday we enjoyed a visit from Rev. Bud & Sandy Rutherford who live just East of Mom and Dad in Milton.

Jess and I definitely don’t feel rested after our little “vacation”. We saw more late nights than we usually see while being here in Indiana in a week! We were glad to have spent the time with my parents and sister in PA, of course, but we look forward to getting away for some rest and relaxing in the next few months with some 1-day getaways and such.

…

It’s officially 2007 now. The grape juice hit the spot, the midnight kiss was great, and Ella even woke up for a few moments to welcome in the new year with a midnight snack!

What will 2007 bring to the Sheets family? We don’t know for sure, but we’re ready to let God do the leading and we are continually willing to follow His lead and we pray the same self-less prayer for all of our friends and families in this new year!

We’re here in PA safe and sound. We actually arrived at Mom & Dad’s by 10:30 Sunday night – a mere 10-hours after we left Warsaw!

600 miles in 10-hours with two 1-hour stops along the way. (you do the math)

Warsaw Wesleyan’s Christmas Eve morning worship service was a blast! I sang in a quartet again and we had a packed house with ushers bringing in extra chairs during the first part of the service! I wish we could’ve been present for the evening family Christmas service, but we were on the road to PA. Pictures from Sunday AMs service are here.

We’re currently sitting in the D.C. Coffee & Tea company here in Mifflinburg after enjoying lunch out at the Carriage Corner. We’ll head back to Mom and Dad’s shortly and enjoy church with them tonight.

Yesterday morning we enjoyed Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Abe’s visit to Mom & Dad’s. Last evening we headed to Dad’s vice-chairman’s home for dinner and some 4-wheel riding (you should’ve seen my muddy clothes.)

We’re hoping to be on the road Saturday morning and will be back in Warsaw for evening service on December 31st.

We don’t have any snow on the ground here, but we’ve been able to watch it come down from the sky a few times already!

Tomorrow we’re hoping to head up Jack’s mountain – this time my Dad and my sister are planning on making the trek.