Can you say Cotswolds? Well today I am dreaming of the this area of Great Britain. My sister, Heather, and I are planning our "holiday"today in some quaint little Hamlet in the Midlands of England. We are hoping to travel to England in the early summer of 2007. We are preparing ourselves currently by holding tea drinking marathons. Just joking!!!

The Cotswolds is named for Sheep pens and rolling hills. In the middle ages the Cotswolds became the epicenter of the Wool industry. The churches are even referred to as "Wool churches", because it was wool fortunes that financed these magnificent beauties.

Both Heather and I ended up at Barnes and Noble today to buy guide books and some how we manged to purchase different books. So now we plan, scheme, and dream. Oh, what's that? I think I hear the sheep bleating my name. Gotta Run! God Bless- Crystal

Hello to all and Merry Christmas! We had a great Christmas at home with family. The kids woke up early to see the gifts to open. The highlights were a train table for Luke, Littlest Pet shop digital pet for Grace and a Dancing Princesses Dance mat and DVD for Faith. Faith received a tiara and clip on earrings from our friends in Missouri, and she has hardly removed since opening the gift on Christmas Eve. Grace has totally figured out her digital pet and she remembers to feed it, brush, and play with it. She has the game totally figured out. Which amazes me, it would have taken me so much longer. Luke is loving his train table as he can play with while the girls create crafts in the basement. He keeps yelling " Choo, Choo!"

Luke's big change this weekend is his new big boy bed. For the first time since we bought the crib no one is sleeping in it or waiting to use it. Grace moved into a twin bed before Faith needed the crib, Faith moved out of it and Luke came to sleep in it after our move to Michigan. Who knows who is next to use the Briden family crib. Luke has stayed perfectly in his new "Cars" bed. He likes becoming a big boy : )

We had a good weekend relaxing and enjoying Daddy after such a long absence. But, sadly he is back to work today and won't be home till after 9 pm. So he will be missed : (

This next weekend we will go to a new indoor water park north of us. The Double JJ in Rothbury, Michigan. My sister, nephews, both brothers, sister-in-law and my dad will all be joining us there. It will be a blast! Grace, Faith and Luke all love the water so they will be ecstatic.

God Bless you all in 2007!!!!!! Love, Crystal

Hello all! We had a blast today making a gingerbread house. The kids loved it. It is fun to watch them decorate something like this and see how they put all the decorations on. I like to watch how their little brains work. So we posted a picture of the kids and the house.

We put together Luke's Christmas present from us today. It is a train table and he is going to love it! So it is already to be played with on Christmas day. Some assembly required, ha!

We want you to know we are praying for you our family and friends as we reflect on Christ's birth this weekend. May you know and love God and may your life be for his glory! Merry Christmas!! Love, Crystal

Hello all! I just wanted to post quickly to share a picture of Kelly with the kids today. We had a great day, our first whole day together in over three weeks. We had lunch out, Kelly's Choice. We went to Red Lobster to celebrate Daddy's homecoming. Speaking of Red, you may have noticed Kelly let his facial hair grow out over the course of the trip. So now he has a full red beard, I love it! Today we had a great time distributing some African gifts to Kelly's coworkers. Lastly the kids got to snuggle the big guy while watching a Christmas movie. So all in all the perfect day.

Tomorrow we are going to be making a gingerbread house and baking cookies for the neighbors. Now it feels like Christmas. The Briden bunch is back together! All our Love and hugs- Crystal

Kelly is home bound! He left Chicago and is driving from there to our home. I cant believe it, I am as nervous as a school girl : ) We received a package in the mail today and it was all the souvenirs Kelly bought in Liberia. So I took a picture of Luke and the girls in the outfits. This is true Liberian dress. Luke didn't even come home with any cute outfit from Liberia, so this is a big deal for him. It has been a long time in coming. Kelly included a beautiful blue dress and a malachite necklace for me. Other items of note an African manger scene with elephants, a carved elephant's tusk, and a little statue of a man urinating (from Belgium). Kelly said the statue of the man urinating was everywhere in Brussels. Wow, I love America!!!!! Well our love to you all and thanks for the Prayers! Crystal and the bunch

Good Evening! As I write this Kelly should be on a plane from Uganda to Belgium. Only 24 hours before his return, God willing! In Belgium he has a 4 hour layover and then he leaves for Chicago. This is more exciting for me than Christmas morning as a kid. The kids are all super excited and I keep telling them that we have to wait till Thursday for Daddy to come home. Grace keeps asking is it Thursday yet? She then goes on to ask is Daddy going to be here when I wake up? No, but hopefully before you go to bed tomorrow :)

Grace had her first school Christmas party today. She had a gift for me when I picked her up at school. She wanted me to open it right away, but I'll wait till we get home. As soon as we walked in the door she gave it to me to open. Her teacher had also included gifts for Luke and Faith as well. (so thoughtful!) So we opened our gifts together. Faith and Luke got the same book from the teacher as Grace" Little Porcupine's Christmas" by Joseph Slate. I must say though, I got the best gift of all a magnet for my refrigerator that Grace had made with glitter confetti and a sweet picture of herself. She said "I made that for you Mommy." I melted, I can't stop looking at it thinking of her sweet fingers making it. She was my little baby, I will cherish it always. I remember making ornaments in school as a kid. Did my parents feel the same way about the things I made? It is a fun thought!

Grandma Briden made it home to New Mexico safely tonight. I am glad she is home and can now enjoy Christmas with our family in Albuquerque. I am jealous though as they have a better chance of having a "White Christmas" than us up here in the north. I am praying for snow! Oh yeah, not until after Kelly gets home though please. Enjoy your family and Christmas celebrations! Remember "Jesus is the reason for the season" Love- Crystal

I can't believe it!! I just got the news from my father-in-law, Grandma Briden had to stay overnight in Dallas because of delays and snow in New Mexico. I dropped her at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids this morning. I am so bummed for her that she didn't make it all the way to Albuquerque tonight. She was getting a virus before leaving and now this. Please pray for Grandma Briden as she tries to return home tomorrow. Thanks Vera for your self sacrificial spirit!!

Tonight the kiddos and I headed to Target for some last minute shopping and to be out of the house for awhile. We thought we would drive around after our shopping to view all the Christmas lights. We called our Christmas light tour. It was great fun!! We went to the drive thru at McDonalds and got milkshakes. Than we turned up the Christmas music and we looked for lights. I would tell them which side of the car a big display would be on. I started saying "Oh Grace, that is big time!" Meaning a big light display was out their window on their respective side of the car. Grace said at one point "is that my Big time or Faith's, mommy?" They loved it!!! I think they could have keep going with that for much longer, but it was bedtime and mommy was concerned that our neighbors may think we are stalking them we drove by so many times.

Kelly sent us two DVDs today via the team from Texas. The first is a greeting taped of Kelly, by Kelly for us. The second is a compilation of the video footage he recorded in Liberia, West Africa. He sent both DVDs back with the team to Texas and they shipped it to us. I was thrilled to receive it. It was the best Christmas present ever to hear the children at Greater Love children's home in Monrovia singing "Joy to the World". I think it will always be my favorite Christmas Hymn from here forward. Love and God Bless- Crystal

O.K. so I have hit "the wall". I was just barely holding it together this evening. After three weeks of Daddy being away I feel like a marathon runner and I am hitting "the wall". I remember being pregnant with Grace reading about when a women is in labor she hits "the wall" when she dilates to about 7 cm with only 3 cm left to go. I am there now. Your mind realizes that you don't have too much farther to go, but the body is ready to give up. I have been praying for endurance as I will have Daddy home soon. Please pray for me as I try to scale the wall : )

Today Luke, Faith and I had Coffee and smoothies at a local Cafe. We had to get out of the house while Grace was at school and we tried to let Grandma Vera rest as she is coming down with a virus. I know, we ask her to help us out only to send her home with a less than considerate parting gift. Please pray for her as she heads back to New Mexico for a fun family Christmas. It is no fun to be sick over Christmas. Tomorrow we take her to the airport and we will go to the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. FUN, FUN, FUN! We are sad to have Grandma leave for home, but thankful that she gave of herself to help us out. Thanks GrandmaVera !!!

Well I am going to go watch a good Judi Dench movie(Mrs. Brown) and curl up with some cocoa. Have a great Christmas week!! Love, Crystal

We spoke to Kelly today via the Internet. That is so cool! It was the last time he thought he could call us before he will fly out of Sudan. Please continue to pray for travel safety. He will leave on Tuesday morning Sudan time to head back to Uganda. He will spend one night in a hotel in Uganda and then Fly on to Belgium. In Belgium he will have 4 hours and then he will he fly to the Windy City. Lastly he will drive home from Chicago to Muskegon. We can't wait for Daddy!!! He is truly my hero and I am so proud that he choose to serve and love people in this way.

If you call on Thursday evening we will not be answering the phone as we will be having family time with Daddy. In his latest email he spoke of worshipping in a Sudanese church and of the battle raging in that country. I am amazed at the world God created, but there are many times I long to see heaven. I think of the horrific things that are happening to our brothers and sisters in Christ in Sudan and I long for heaven. I am excited to think of the day when we the body of Christ come together to worship and live as one. No more war, no more hate, only love, only truth. I know that the day will come because our God is faithful and he keeps his promises. He said he was going to prepare a place for us and he would return to bring us to God the Father. May we Christians win this wicked sinful world for Christ, may we never give up until we draw our last breath. May the whole world know and love Christ ! Please God stop the death and destruction in Sudan!

Have a good night! Crystal

I am so excited to report we have news from Sudan and a picture :) Kelly sent some letters our way via email and we are thrilled to have received them today. Some memorable quotes " We are primarily eating rice and goat. Yes, goat." and "I've been warned no pictures of the soldiers. So, since they have the guns, no pictures." My husband is a smart man and that is why I married him!

I have attached the picture he sent. It is of some of the kids at the orphanage in Liberia. They are holding pictures of our family. Please pray for his continued safety. Gotta Go to bed! Love and Blessings- Crystal

Hello to all who are reading this. Which from the large number of posts is one person, my sister. The kids, my mother in law, Vera, and I went to see Charlotte's Web today. It was cute and classic. The animations were very well done. Especially Charlotte, the spider was so cool looking. It was a fun diversion today as we still have no news from Kelly. I am praying for an email conveying all is O.K. But I am trusting God and praying for safety for he and the mini-team he is with, Mike and Megan from West Texas.

The kids are now mentioning several times a day how they miss Daddy. Interestingly enough they have taken to climbing on me at meal times after they finish eating. Which is usually something reserved only for Daddy as he eats. I guess they have to climb someone. I think I may even be jealous of the lack of snuggling and climbing attention I am receiving now upon Kelly's return. O.K., maybe it will take me awhile to get to feel jealous. First I need to remind myself all three of our little ones aren't attached to me : ) Merry Christmas and have a great Friday night- Crystal

Well, No news from Africa today. I know, "no news is good news", but I still wish I had some news. The kids are actually getting restless as time goes on. Daddy is sorely missed and by more than just me. Grace said tonight at bed, "I miss my Daddy now that he is living in Africa." Earlier today while in Target, Faith, said "look Grace ,that's Africa where Daddy lives" as we looked at a globe in the toy section. So you can see two weeks is a lifetime in our daughters mind.

I am so glad Kelly had this opportunity to connect with God and show is love to others. Kelly lives for trips like this and he is I am sure thrilled to see Sudan. I am so moved by the people of Sudan. I can't imagine living in constant fear for my life. Please pray for the Christians of Sudan as they are being viciously slaughtered. I am so blessed to have been born in the U.S. It is only by God's Grace that I am not in Sudan, Liberia, China or Russia. I often think God knew I couldn't make it in anywhere but here, I would buckle under that much pressure. But thinking of traveling overseas to Africa to share hope and love, that I can do, that I will do. Please if you have time over the next few weeks go to see the movie " Blood Diamond" it is excellent. The movie touched a special place in my heart because of Luke. Most of the blood diamonds sold illegally were funneled through Liberia under the Dictator (President) Charles Taylor. He is and was the main reason for the destabilization of West Africa. Luke is from Liberia and I sobbed in the theatre thinking of how God choose him to escape. God reached down and plucked him from one of the worst countries in the world. God is so good and we are thankful for him, our son, truly an African American.

Well I hope all is well with all those who read this and know you are in my prayers. I thank God for you all!! Merry Christmas- Crystal

One more week until my hubby, Kelly, returns from a short term mission trip to Africa. He has been to Liberia and tomorrow he will head into Sudan. To say I miss him at this point is an understatement. It is amazing how attached you get to someone after nearly nine years!!

We have three kids all under 5 years old. So my hands are full and I don't sit down to often. I love it though and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Now we look forward to a relaxing Christmas with Daddy back home in the states. Please pray for him as they go to Sudan tomorrow. God Bless- Crystal