Merry Christmas!
Greetings from Snowy Cambridge - it's the holiday season and we're thrilled! Please consider this post as our "Christmas Letter", an opportunity to see a bit more about what we've been up to since summer started and what we think is important all year round.

By the way, please continue sending your paper Christmas letters - Liz loves to get mail, and reads every last word of the letters. Thanks to the Stueckles who sent the first Christmas letter of the season!

Well, what do we think is important during the holiday season? All the big things, and some of the small things too. Here's just a few...

1. Family
Ryan and I both have great families that we cherish. Many of you got to meet them at our wedding in August. We hope you'll have or make the opportunity to draw closer to your family this holiday season.

Grandma Keele (seated in center)

Great Uncle Bob - mostly known as "Unc"

Dan and Daniel

Ryan and Ella

Meghan

Liz (not-quite Lincoln) and sister Stacy

Ryan's dad, Roger

Ed, Patty and Lucy with Ryan and Liz

2. Friends
Our friends are vitally important to us. To quote the famous saying "Friends are the Family you Choose" and we think this is true. We've got friends all over the world and they have helped us to figure out what we believe, who we are and want to become after "leaving the nest." Here are a few friends (not all of them - there just isn't the space!) and the adventures we've had over the last year together.

All the "Montana Guys" at Flathead Lake

The Singletons ala Rainbow

Some of the Gals at Remax

Kristin and Isaac

Carrie and Mary Frances (who oblige our LOST addiction)

Jake who just became an older brother to Victoria (not Vicky)

The Flores' Family









Samuel and Ashley

Ryan and Jeanne Link, Ryan Lincoln, & Steve Darby

Josh and Amber - soon to be married in May!

Raychel and Tracy (very special "Broads" - http://www.broadpr.com/)

There are HUGE gaps in "friend representation" on this post - our apologies to all of you ...we are missing space AND pictures of you. But you're loved very much regardless!

3. Serving

One of the greatest lessons we've learned and been able to implement together is that of serving others. The strongest example was a trip to Jamaica where we supported a medical team in 2004. We are reminded daily of those who still hold our hearts in Jamaica. Here are a few of the faces that we call to mind and pray for on a regular basis.Our team of volunteers from all over the US

A visitor to one of our rural clinics

A baby boy I got to hold for most of the afternoon while Mom took siblings through the clinic

Women waiting in line for the clinic in Milk River

Sanjine - a college student living in Harmons, Jamaica who volunteered with our team

We're working now to design and implement a way to support the MayPen Infirmary (photos below) on many levels - medical, staff training, repairing the facility structurally, and other ideas that have been cropping up over the last year. We hope to see some progress over the coming year, specifically finding organizations to walk alongside the MayPen Infirmary supporting them with finances, donated services, and encouragement. We'll keep you posted! Until we have a more solid plan, here are a few pictures of the people we pray for year round. Please remember these and other residents at the Infirmary in your own prayers.

Mr. Jackson and Ryan at the infirmary



Pearl and Liz at the infirmary

4. Fun
Let us not forget, this is a great time of year to relax and have fun! We're headed up to Lake George, NY to celebrate Christmas with the Hawkins and Vlad families. Then we're off to New Hampshire for a few days of retreat into the snow. Oh that does sound fun!

Fishing the Clark Fork in MT - Liz's first EVER catch on a fly rod.
Ryan fishing in Belize - his first bonefish catch
Launching Potatoes... oh my.
Visiting Glacier National Park

Giving and Receiving Vows


Merry Christmas to all of you, and may
you be blessed in the coming New Year.
Love,
Liz and Ryan