Melkam Genna

Well the new year rang in, and the Hill family is holdin' on! We wrote and printed a New Year's letter which we'll send when our shutterfly package finally arrives, 3+ weeks later than it was supposed to because my luck has apparently followed us into 2014. (Please excuse the scratched out "Happy New Year" since I may be scribbling "Happy Valentine's" over it before I send yours.) Cary just began his qualifier, and will be researching a strategy for producing synthetic spider silk in his every waking moment for the next 3 weeks, and when I'm not teaching or cooking or diapering, I hope to be cleaning this mad house. Oh, you good reader, are already on your knees for us? Yes, please pray.

I can't tell you how joyful we are, midst the madness. On Wednesday, we celebrated Ethiopian Christmas (the same celebration of Christ's birth we observe in the US, but following the Orthodox Tradition it falls on Jan 7) with traditional attire, authentic cuisine *note to self: must order injera a day in advance next year to prevent the consumption of Naan invading our "Ethiopian" tradition,* and a coffee ceremony. It was fun, and it really stirred my affections for a country I haven't seen in almost a year. (Look at God, fostering fondness for a place and people I would never have known had He not rocked our world by writing such a special family story.)

So here's the festivity, for you to share. And hopefully by March, you'll get our New Year's Easter Card.

Melkam Genna!

The Ethiopian Princes approved of their Tibbs

Aunt Katherine screening her dish for anything that looked too authentic.

What's a holiday without some running and playing?

Group Shots!

(Check out the way Zeke is looking at Uncle Pete in this first one.)

 

As is customary, the boys held hands...

I think it's safe to say we had a good time...