2013 Year Review

Hi Everyone,

Gelerie here. I hope you all have had a great year. If you were hoping to see the Christmas Card, we will post it very soon.

This year Finn turned 4 in January and Aubrey turned 10 in August. Finn is always active and has only required one trip to the ER this year for stitches above his right eyebrow. Aubrey just got her braces in November and will wearing them for the next three years.

 

During Spring break vacation, we went on celebration cruise with Erik's parents to the Caribbean. They were celebrating their 51st anniversary this year and we celebrated our belated 20th anniversary.

Gelerie continues to enjoy providing anesthesia and also maintains a sewing/crafting blog.

Erik couldn't resist the Easter picture.

April showers bring May flowers

We also spent a weekend in early June at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The water was running at Medano Creek.

In June, we went on a 3,000 mile road trip in the Vanagon. Here we are about to jump in the van and go!

We went through Utah.

We visited Arches National Park and hiked up to Delicate Arch.

We also went to Zion National Park. We spent time in California with family and friends.

We went up Hwy 1 and stopped in San Francisco at the Exploratorium.

Other stops included Lake Tahoe, Steamboat Springs, and Trail Ridge Road crossing the Continental Divide.

Cinnamon Roll from Winona's in Steamboat Springs. It IS that big!

Trail Ridge Road

And home again...

 

Gelerie's Best Birthday Present Ever!

Helping Dad build Aubrey's birthday loft

 

Aubrey's New Loft

The rest of the year has been a blur. In September, east and west of us there was significant damage and tragic loss of lives due to the flooding here in northern Colorado. We are thankful that we were safe.

The flooding that we had here was nothing compared to the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan. We have chosen to assist by donating to ADRA and encourage you to do the same or donate to another aid agency of your choice.  Here is the ADRA link.

Thankful that someday, the world will be made new again. No more tears and sadness only joy. Looking forward to the day when He comes again no longer the Baby born in a manger, but as our Redeemer in the clouds. Merry Christmas to you all and wishing you peace and joy this coming year.

Gelerie

So this is Christmas…

Why the silly Christmas photos from our family? Short answer: because we want to. And we can. And the fact is, the rest of our lives are pretty normal and in some ways, boring. So we do it to amuse ourselves--and you. 

But silly cards and snowmen and Santa and elves are not what Christmas is about. Neither is it about giving or "Holiday Spirit" or even family. It's a mis-dated reminder of the greatest invasion our planet has ever had: a newborn in a barn. It was the personal landing of the creator among the created. The idea was simple, but the effect profound. Long ago there had been a rebellion, a seemingly simple disobedience (forbidden fruit) that opened the floodgates of hell. And we have been in enemy territory ever since. But this… this baby, the one who *chose* to come, did come. The plan was radical: this baby would become the ransom for those in enemy territory. A prisoner exchange, if you will. Everyone who would believe… this baby now man would trade his life for theirs. Him for you. His death, your life. Talk about gift giving. 

But the story has gotten snowed in under mountains of catalogs, cookies, and tons of crap we don't need. Meanwhile, the real story, the REAL gift is often forgotten. For those of you familiar with the story and what it means, I encourage you to dust if off. For friends (or strangers) who look at this with skeptical eye and wonder if this whole "Jesus" thing isn't as much pretend as Frosty the Snowman, I'd ask this: How's the future looking without a God who cares enough to sacrifice Himself for you? One who came personally to make the downpayment and left only after a promise to come again and wrap it up -- forever. 

Me? I look at the news -- pick a day, any day -- and I don't see this planet getting better on its own. Pick your tragedy: school shootings, famine and starvation, environmental destruction, poverty, civil war, hurricanes, human trafficking, tsunamis, drought. Whatever. We are not heading into utopia. We are not doing a great job left to our own devices. Millions suspect something very bad is going to go down sooner than later, and I agree. But through that, on the other end of that, and until then… I have hope. I have confidence in how it turns out. I have peace, and it's all because of that baby in a manger. 

If you're like me and you suspect we did not get here on our own, nor are we going to pull out of this nosedive on our own, and you'd like that peace, that confidence and hope… it's real. It's in the Bible. And before you call it hokey and fable, look at the headlines of any news outlet anywhere and tell me how we're doing without it. Want to know more about this Jesus? The Bible is the place to start. Get a modern translation and google "bible reading plan" and start. Additionally, here are three books I've found that I recommend: "Beautiful Outlaw" by John Eldredge. "What's so Amazing About Grace?" by Philip Yancey. And "Messiah" by Jerry D. Thomas. And though I don't have all the answers, I'm willing to listen to questions. Contact me through www.stenbakken.com

From our family to you… we wish you better than a merely merry Christmas. 

2012 Christmas Card

Our family in all our 2012 beauty.

Good Things of Colorado

We had lots of apples for apple sauce and apple pie.

Erik got to go fly fishing with his dad on the Poudre River.

Erik's Motorcycle

Erik got a motorcycle in May and has enjoyed riding it this summer.

Camping with Calvin Gane down near Marshall Pass, Colo.

Maui

We also spent time in September in Maui with Gelerie's parents. Weather perfect as always.

Sunrise at Haleakala

Surfing Lessons!

Aubrey Catching a Wave

Grandpa and Grandma Arafiles with us for shave ice

All Things Crafty

After Gelerie took her board exam, she spent the rest of her spare time trying to get all the projects done that she had been neglecting. She also started a new blog that documents all her projects she has been working on. It is called Sew Not Work. If you would like to see how Erik got Gelerie plastered Click Here.

Sewing Projects: Aubrey dress and Gelerie's Pina Fabric Jacket and Dress