End of January!

Yikes! Time has flown by, and it's already almost the end of January.

Joel and I went to his company's annual gain-share banquet last Saturday (it's like a belated Christmas party). I won two, that's right, TWO gift cards from their raffle drawing. A $25 gift card to TGI Friday's, and also a $25 gift card to Green Mill. I never win stuff, so I was pretty impressed. Way to go, PCA! I like you already! :) Joel has been able to get some overtime every week he's worked so far. We just need to put that money towards our house... The Lord certainly is answering some prayers (as He always does) and is taking care of us (as He always does). One more year and we need to refinance on this house.

I also went and visited our friend Erin Hulse up in St. Paul on Wednesday afternoon. I had to go visit the new baby, Dakota Rae. She's 2 weeks old and as light as a feather and SO tiny. Here are some pictures:




Such perfect, flawless baby skin.


I'm posting this picture because it shows me that I need some sun... WOW, am I pale. And Dakota has naturally dark olive skin, so of course that makes me look even more pale. Nice.


Erin and I were chatting in the living room, and it seemed awfully quiet in the babies room. I went in there to check on them and Tristan, Addie, and Malachi were all underneath Dakota's crib. Cute.

Joel's new job

Joel came home Monday from his first day with a smile on his face. His new job is going well. Seems like some of the guys at work have some of the same interests, too, that he has - cars, guns, etc. So it's nice for him to have guys that he can get along with and relate to at work. He starts work at 6am, so that means leaving at 5:30am, which means getting up at 4:50am. Needless to say, he's been going to bed pretty early the last few nights. But, he does get home by 2:30 in the afternoon or so, so it's nice.

More from my parent's visit

Getting ready to go outside.


There was a lot this going on - falling. :)


Discovering snow.




My Mom. She's beautiful, inside and out.


Playing with the tea set while Grandma gets lunch ready after church.

Joel's got a new job!

Exciting news in the Zahn household! Joel starts a new job next Monday, Jan. 11th at Package Coorporation of America. It will deal with his schooling (which he just graduated from in December). The place is up in Golden Valley, about 25-30 minutes north of Shakopee. He got the official call last Tuesday on our way to Joel's parents place. His start date had been pending his drug test. Everything had come back clean, obviously. He'll be a mechanic for the machines that make corrugated paper (that's "cardboard" to people like us) for boxes. The nice change is that he'll be around on the weekends now. His shift will be Mon.-Fri., 2pm-10pm. That will be perfect timing for the drive up there, since it won't be during rush hour.

And how did he get the job, you might ask? Crazy story, but my parent's best friend's brother-in-law works in the packaging industry and Joel was able to send him his resume. The brother-in-law then sent it to a CEO in Florida who ended up sending it to the manager of the mechanics at PCA. God works in mysterious and wondrous ways. Sometimes he gives us a glimpse of His plans. :)

Christmas Eve - at the Strehler's

Lyle and Lori Strehler (Addie's "weekend mommy" - aka babysitter while Joel works the weekends) invited us and my parents over for some pre-Christmas service snacks and drinks and present opening.


I'm dressed and ready to go to the Candlelight service!


One of the gifts from the Strehlers was a tea set. She's holding a cup from it, here.


I love my new tea set!


Dad showing Adeline how to pour the tea.

Thanks, Strehlers! Addie loves her gifts!

Christmas Eve - at home

My parent's were able to be with us for Christmas this year. They got in before the big Christmas Eve snowfall! It was wonderful having family around. We have to stick around here due to my job (which isn't a problem, it's just we usually don't have family around). Below are pictures of present-opening at our house earlier on Christmas Eve.






My parent's got her this cool flip-up books. It's one of her favorites now.


Non-slip socks!


Bible Songs CDs


Oooh, an ornament!