The Johnson's: December 2005

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Bailey on the Move

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Bailey is moving so much! Just see for yourself.

Monday, December 26, 2005

Wow! What can I say? The food was excellent: Chateau Breaund and Chocolate Souffle. Yum! Not to mention, the great company, Derek and Kim. We had a great time and I can't imagine a more romantic spot for dinner.
Polonezkoy (means "Polish village" in Turkish) is a really cool little village on the out skirts of Istanbul. It is one of the few places that you can get pork. Derek was impressed by the fact that you could see stars tonight. We haven't left the city in too long. Anyway it was just a really nice and much needed escape that we were more than happy to take. Thanks Granny Juanita and Papa Rodrick for the special gift this Christmas to pay for it. ;-)
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Christmas in Istanbul

Here are a few pictures we took on Christmas. The first few were took on Christmas morning with our friends - Derek, Kim, Laura Beth and Scott. They spent the night with us and then we opened presents together Christmas morning. The last few the ones were we are dressed were taken at our friends house, Bill & Rebecca Hogg. We had a wonderful dinner with them and a few other friends, the Morgan's, Byrd's and Bill and Rebecca's son and daughter-in-law. We were blessed to share Christmas with so many good friends who have become like family!

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Sunday, December 25, 2005

Christmas Morning

Christmas Morning with a little help from one of Elizabeth's presents, a new digital camera!

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Saturday, December 24, 2005

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

As you can tell from the picture it's snowing in Istanbul! We woke up Christmas Eve morning to white roof tops, white streets and white cars. Not quite yet a winter wonderland but the snow is still coming! Our plan today was to do just a little more shopping at the mall but we are afraid we wouldn't be able to get home if we do. We live on a big big hill and so the likley hood of us getting back up it is slim. So we will just walk to the store close to our house to get a few things we need. But how fun it would be to have a White Christmas!

Tonight we plan to spend the evening with a few friends who have been left by themselves in the city this Christmas mainly because their roommates have gone back to the states or they didn't have anyone to spend it with. So we are going to have a nice Christmas Eve dinner then have them all spend the night and open gifts together on Christmas morning.

But as we think of tomorrow, Christmas morning, we are reminded that we will be the only ones in our apartment building and one of three families in our neighborhood celebrating Christ's birth. And then to add to that only about 5,000 believers, Turkish and foreigners, will be celebrating Christ's birth in a country of 70 million people tomorrow. So we praise the Lord we have the opportunity to worship Him and proclaim Him in a land that does not recognize the sacrifice our Savior gave when He came into this world.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord...there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.'" Luke 2:11 & 14

Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

A Place to Rock the Baby

Here is the latest addition to our household thanks to Elizabeth's brother and sister-in-law as a gift for Bailey. We will put it in Bailey's room so that we can rock her to sleep and feed her. We just wanted to share it with you because we are thankful for how beautifully we are provided for in everyway.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

A Very Special Time

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We had a wonderful time Sunday night with some Turkish friends and some old friends from Ruston. They all came over for a Christmas meal and to exchange presents. Though I am not sure how Christmas, Mexican food really is, it was a good meal.

However the thing that made the night really special wasn't the food but it was that we were able to spend the evening with several Turk believers. If you don't know that is special because there just aren't many of them. It is so uncommon to find a Turk that really knows the day Christmas is on, most just get it confused with New Year's, and even fewer know the real meaning of Christmas.

Good times! With old friends and new, Elizabeth and I know we are blessed.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Thank You Lord for Krispy Kreme!

Yes you are looking at a Krispy Kreme donut! And yes it is in our house in Istanbul. Unfortunately Krispy Kreme has not opened in Istanbul but we keep praying. But thankfully I have a friend, who is here for a conference, that brought 12 Krispy Kreme donuts from the states! Some friend, huh?! Let me say they were good even though we didn't eat them as the sign lights up that says, "HOT NOW!" Makes your mouth water doesn't it? They were still good and we are savoring every bite. I have four left and we only got them last night. Not sure if I'll let Billy have anymore or not. I let him eat three of them that's probably enough.

We are thankful for all things and in all things! And a big thanks to Kanoot for bringing them half way around the world for us to enjoy!