Happy 2009!!!

So the sand has drizzled out of the hour glass of 2008, and the 2009 hour glass has been turned over and the countdown has begun again! Before bidding 2008 a final farewell, we were glad to be able to reunite Nathan's grandparents when we picked up his grandfather at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport! Of course Nathan was thrilled to have his Opa come and stay with us!

Then came Old Year's Eve, and with some the people in the household under the age of 5, some suffering from Jet Lag, some experiencing sheer exhaustion, my choices of who would see 2009 in with me were extremely limited, and I ended up picking Joshua :) Well, it was time for his bottle anyway - and together we watched the crystal ball drop in Times Square on TV.

On the first day of 2009, Gabi treated us to an amazing lunch consisting of a roast leg of lamb, roast potatoes and sweet potatoes, butternut and more! If that meal was an indication how good 2009 will be, the McCarthy's are on track for an awesome year!
That afternoon, I took the Schaefers and Nathan for a scenic drive. It was still bitterly cold, but when I made a slight detour, we found an amazing wintery wonderland!

Friday was my day to work on my mini-project - my "Closet Improvement" project. I had purchased a couple of accessories from Lowes, and added an extra rail in our closet. But that meant I had to raise the existing shelves and rails, and with Norman's help, I completed the work without any problems!

On Saturday, Liesel's dad and I went to the movies to watch the story of Valkyrie, which was an eye-opening film! Later that afternoon, we took Norman and Gabi to a photo studio, where we gave them their Christmas gift, a photo shoot with the grandsons! The boys gave us some amazing poses and created such wonderful memories for us! They are so photogenic, so they must take after their mother :)



Unfortunately, my two weeks of leave have come to an end, and I make my way back to the office on Monday. During my time off I managed to start working on a song for our church's next Songwriter's Showcase. If there are any budding songwriters reading this, and are able to assist me with lyrics, please let me know!

Now, as we all embark on another journey into a new year, the McCarthy family wishes everyone a fantastic 2009 where dreams are realized and goals achieved!
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.