R U Ready for Christmas??

Well -- The Countdown is on.....T-Minus 5 days until Christmas. Everyone is still in full preparation mode here at the house -- as you can see by the pictures attached. Pongo and Cheryl are enjoying the Holiday spirit while Cheryl puts together a Christmas gift for Alexxis and her BFF....(ok, for your textually challenged folks thats TXT for Best Friends Forever). While Cheryl works, and works, and works, the kids lounge, and lounge, and lounge watching the Christmas shoes made for tv movie....

Yesterday, Payton's classroom @ school was visited by the man himself -- Yes Mr. Clause....The kids all loved it while they drank hot cocoa, made crafts, received bells from Santa, and took pictures with him as well. It was a great time and hopefully something they will always remember.

We neglected to take our camera today, but we took the girls and Preston for a horse drawn carriage ride next to a local movie theater at about noon, and since then were outside selling Cool-Aid at a driveway stand next to the street...they got about 4-5 takers (1 being me while I did some much needed gun cleaning). Cheryl is currently preparing our dinner tonight (a fun dinner).....Homemade Soft and buttery Pretzels.....YUM -- can't wait to dig in.

The Tree is up, the lights are on and we are set....heading to Lake Havasu this year and spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Cheryl's sisters (Julie & DeeDee & of course Ashley as well)....should be a rip rousing time.

Wishing you and yours the Merriest Christmas & Happiest New Year...

TPS (The Phillips Six)

Enjoying the Process

Well its been a month since I last posted and I know -- I said I would not get distracted, but with all of the appointments, training time in Colorado, and misc activities this is the first time I have had to really focus on the Blog.

We spent four more days in Colorado a week and a half ago for Partner Development Training back at WorldVenture Headquarters. We were blessed to be accompanied by our PD Coach Glen Reiley....whom by the grace of God came alongside of us to assist and say he would help in our process to Poland. As I said we spent four days in CO where the weather varied significantly from 5 degrees to 55 during the day.

Glen and I decided we would run most of these days and dd not imagine running in snow the first morning we got up...it was 5 degrees and we headed out for a 6 mile run....what a wonderful creation snow is and how beautiful it is as it floats down with a slight wind in the dark and dawn of the morning. We huffed and puffed (ok, more me than Glen -- he's trained in High altitude before) and finished only to get inside and see ourselves in a mirror covered with the white stuff and our eyebrows were stark white....wish we had the camera and a picture of this but you'll just have to use your imagination. During our training we learned presentation techniques, pointers, and just good construction of a message to get out to all who want to hear what God is doing in our lives and our journey to Poland to make, mature, and multiply disciples for Jesus Christ.

It was wonderful to see all of our appointee class again as well, spending evenings, mornings, and lunches together with our coaches getting to know more and more about one another. One evening was spent at the Foote rest (A soon to be appointee family) whose hospitality rivals that of the Polish people....They are just awesome. Jordan, Marie, Micah & Megan made us all (15 of us) feel right at home with some warm holiday cheer and treats.

Knowing we would be apart for a long period of time and maybe for years now we set back to reality after the training back to Phoenix, leaving all of our appointee families to also go their ways home. We pray we can all attend MTI, and Advanced Camp with them as well, but only God knows when and where we will all be in the next 9 months as it pertains to fundraising.

On the Home front -- Preston has finally started sleeping mostly through the night....PRAISE GOD -- we are finally sleeping again and enjoying the somewhat normal life creep back in. I have uploaded a video of him here bouncing in his Jolly Jumper (Thanks Ken & Kelly) attached to my office doors.....He loves it and his new walker and is getting more mobile by the day. He is 6 1/2 months old now and growing like a weed on steroids.....29 inches long and 23 pounds....Prime Choice for a lineman or Defensive back in the NFL in about 20 years.

Girls are all great and getting ready as we speak to celebrate Alexxis' 11th birthday tonight at her "Libby Lu" party --- more pics to come on that later.

Well -- Christmas cards and letters are out, prayer cards are in and we we are ready for the Holidays ........Pray all is well with you -- drop us a line, send us a comment, or give us a call -- would love to get together with you all soon....

Together in Service with you for the Kingdom,

The Phillips Family