apparently, vacation hasn't been very conducive for blogging. i've either had too much observing the holidays or relaxing to actually write, although i've thought about it a lot. some bullet points: ...our early christmas in indiana with my parents was relaxing and peaceful - a good way to ease into the holidays. daniel played with my parents' sheep, mom made my favorite baked goods - raisin-filled cookies and moon pies (the apple kind, not marshmallow), we had some good time with old friends at a lovely wedding. ...christmas eve was spent with the fox family and christmas day with the otterbein family. i have to say that i married into a great set of in-laws - good conversation, good food, generous gifts and the ability to just relax. that's hard to beat. ...wednesday night we had dinner with patti, scott, fisher, tate and lara. they're fabulous hosts! ...thursday night nikki and zach came over for dinner. they're fantastic guests! they also didn't complain about being coerced into learning how to play dutch blitz. ...friday i girl time with sharon, and friday night brought some good karaoke with good people. today i got to know carol better at the new mennonite coffee shop in plain city - great coversation that was well worth the drive... ...so, thanks for bearing with all of the name-dropping, dearies! in short, it's been so nice to have time to breathe, and to get to know some truly lovely people better this week. i don't go back to work until tuesday, which is fine - i'm not eager for it, but i'm not dreading it, either, so i'm thinking that's a good sign... finally, dare you think i spend all of my time socializing, it's time for book recommendations again. leave those comments! also, is anyone else thinking they may have a hard time choosing between obama and edwards for the secular leader of the free world? happy new year's eve eve...

i got a new phone for christmas, but the problem is that i forgot to save my phone numbers from my old phone when i switched the card. so please email me your number at amyjoyfox at gmail dot com, or just call me. (my number is still the same) even if i called you earlier today, i need your number again. thanks, everyone!

"This is the irrational season When love blooms bright and wild. Had Mary been filled with reason There'd have been no room for the child." -madeleine l'engle

we're off to indiana! it's time for early christmas with my parents, and the wedding of two lovely, wonderful people who are ideal for each other. it should be a good mix of family and old friends. what could be a better way to spend a weekend? now if we can just get out the door and on the road, things will be nearly perfect. my brother has outdone himself with surprises and generosity this week, by the way. first i received two cds - over the rhine and innocence mission - and i thought he did a fantastic job with my christmas present. then i got home yesterday and found his other gift, which were the very cool keen sydney shoes that i've been wanting but were a bit much to buy for myself. thank you, dear matthew! (he'll be getting his very own birthday post next week.) ok. time to see if daniel is ready.

for some reason, when i view my blog, the paragraph breaks that i put in are never there. so, please forgive me if you end up reading a great big, run-on block of text. it's wednesday evening, and after running around like mad the past six hours, i'm home alone, and it's ever so peaceful. daniel is working on the new space he got for skreened, julianna is at a bible study, and i'm savoring a drink with the pets. i just got back from spending time at a nursing home with our small group from church. it's one of only two all medicaid nursing homes in ohio, so everyone there is essentially out of places to go, and in need of long-term medical care. small groups from our church are there every week, and this week it was our turn. we sang christmas carols, lit the advent wreath, took turns around the circle sharing the best thing that has ever been given to us, and ate peppermint brownies. it's a great place, (and a kind of horrible place) but i have to admit that i have a hard time being there. throw me into a room of mentally disturbed and abused children any day and i'm just fine, but i have a hard time connecting with the residents at bryden place. tonight was ok, though. i met a lovely lady who actually called me lovely, and prayed with her to request safety for her son, who is "driving all the way from kentucky to visit me." another lady gave me a little book of stories about mother teresa. the highlight, though, was talking to a staff member who i helped in the process of gaining custody of her nieces and nephew last year. success is a relative term in my profession, but this family was, hands-down, one of my favorites. so, it was good to get a huge hug and check up on my kids... i'm going to relax some more now. g'night!