Goodbye '09, Hello '10!

I cannot believe it is time to start typing 2010. A new decade! Ten years ago, I was ringing in the New Year by skiing on the slopes with my family! This decade will be rung in as the first New Year's Eve spent with my husband!

~The highlight of 2009 would definitely be this~

Marrying my best friend!

I am so excited about 2010 and all that it has to bring! New memories (happy, sad and crazy ones I'm sure!), and so many new experiences to learn from.  I look forward to the path that the Lord has laid out for us and to the ways that we will grow in Him in the coming year!

Happy New Year and God Bless You in 2010!

Ohio

This post will be short and sweet! It is coming to you from the cold state of Ohio! We flew in yesterday afternoon to spend the Christmas holiday with Mark's family! We are so excited to be able to spend some quality time just hanging out with them and relaxing. 

We will/are def. missing my family alot this Christmas, as it is my first Christmas away from them....but are so grateful that they are understanding with us being gone!

I will def. post once we get back with pictures....but until then....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

With much love,

Mark & Allison

The Blind Side

Last night, we went and saw the Blind Side.  I had been told that others had cried. I had been told that it had changed others lives. But I had no idea how it would affect me. The tears I would shed. The way my life would be forever changed.

Many of the reasons that this movie affected me so greatly is because of the things that the Lord has been doing in our area, in our church and in the hearts of those around me. I have seen things in the past few months that have changed my path forever.  Because of this, there were parts of this movie that were truly raw and deep down real to me. I saw other faces feeling the emotions that this boy felt. And I wept for them.  I wept for every child, in Malakoff, in our area, in Texas, and in the world who feels that pain.  The child who does not know love, safety or family. 

After the movie ended, I needed a few moments to process/collect myself/stop sobbing....so I sat in the quiet of the theater and listened to the song that played at the end of the movie.  It was "Chances" by Five for Fighting.    It was beautiful moment of silence and refelction.

I am so excited to see where this new path that the Lord has us on will lead.  Parts of it seem scary, but knowing that He is up to big things everywhere I look is something I do not have the words to describe.

I want to leave you with this from here:
Save us from these comforts.
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that’s not of You
And we will worship You

Here We Come a Caroling!

My heart was so proud, so full of joy and so excited for my kids last night--I think it could have literally exploded!

Let me explain!

Last week, our music minister and I go the brave idea to take all of the kids caroling with the adult choir.  I sent home permission slips, and he signed up drivers.  I even had to go up to the school this week to drop off more permission slips because kids were so excited!

Yall, tonight kids got to go caroling that have never had that chance. That had never gotten to see that joy in someone else's face when you sing to them.  The joy that it brought me was indescribable.  Seeing their eyes lit up when they got to yell "Merry Christmas!" They were so excited to be serving! I am so proud of them for having such servant's hearts so young.

And then just to see their excitement, to sing, to see lights, to go on an adventure that truthfully, some of their little lives had never experienced...I praise the Lord that our church was willing to step up and drive kids that they did not know and had never met...they will never know what it meant to those kiddos.

We are so blessed to serve in such a mission minded church that desire's to not only teach children about Christ's love, but to show it in actions each and every day!

Our First Christmas

Welcome to the Sangenito home! Christmas is my favorite time of the year...and this Christmas is even better since it is our first Christmas being married!

Our decorations are very simple, but they each mean something special to us! Enjoy the tour and thanks for stopping by!

Our First Christmas Tree

We got to buy our first Christmas tree this year! The Christmas tree skirt is one of my most treasured decorations. My grandfather made each grandchild one many years ago.  Most of our ornaments are simple Christmas balls. Last year, my mother-in-law gave me a box full of beautiful ornaments that we have as well!

This year my husband also surprised me with this very special ornament

First Christmas Ornament

Because we do not have a fireplace in our apartment, our stockings are hung from the counter with care!

Mark, Allison & Zeus

I got these stockings last year after Christmas on sale. I just love them and am so glad I decided to get them! And of course our sweet puppy has a stocking, since he is our only child.

We rarely eat at our dining table, so I decided to decorate it this year as well

And last but not least is one of my favorite areas in our apartment

Nativity Shelf

We received quite a few nativities as wedding gifts, and I couldn't wait to pull out our collections! The birth of Jesus is the reason for the season and we want to make sure and make that the center of our household each Christmas!

Merry Christmas and God bless!