It's been a cozy Swedish Christmas so far... The big celebration is on Christmas Eve here in Sweden. Yesterday we woke up mid-morning, ate a traditional breakfast including ham, porridge, and coffee. We had candles lit, Christmas music playing, & made last minute preparations for the day. We headed out into the snow and to my love's sisters' family for the afternoon. There we ate aaaallll day (love it!), watched traditional Donald Duck cartoons. Yes, the whole population of Sweden gathers around the tv at 3 to watch Disney cartoons. We had fika & then the highlight... Santa Claus (Tomten) came bringing gifts for everyone! The kids (and me) were so excited!! More candy & food, and then more laughing, Christmas music, candles, and cozy times. We ended the day with a traditional American Christmas movie and some wine & chips. Me like! It was a fantastic day!! Today... Christmas Day!! I called my parents at 1(7am in the states). It was a little weird to wake up & not run downstairs to open gifts, but there was more to look forward to here. And it's really good to experience something new. We have had a good dinner again today, and are soon gonna watch a movie. It's snowing, candles are lit, & music is playing. Another cozy Swedish day. Pictures to come later! Merry Christmas to you all!! Love from Liz & Lina.

i'm listening to amy grant's home for christmas album right now...one of my favorites. and i am enjoying the beginning of my christmas in sweden! yes, i am away from nc and my family there, but this year it's our turn to be in sweden. back to nc next year. anyway, here's an update on my adventure getting here...

well, it was a crappy, crappy week at school. the kids are going freakin' crazy... which leads the teachers to be crazy too. not fun to be around anyone. meetings, meetings, meetings, tests, and more tests, and more hoops to jump through because the education system in the states in far from perfect! and, i'm about to jump out of my skin waiting for my plane to take off on the 18...

what is the longing of every one's heart? what is it we truly want? fame? wealth? security? happiness? peace? maybe deep inside we all really want to be free. but i cannot talk about freedom without mentioning love because i believe they go hand in hand. we want to be free. free to just be ourselves. free to be loved and to love...and when we do, when we truly feel love, then we are set free. i'm not talking about freedom to do whatever we want. that's surface freedom. sure, it's nice, but it gets old. the kind of freedom i'm talkin' about is the kind that has us twirling with our arms in the air, face to the sun and not caring what anyone thinks. it's the kind of freedom that doesn't mean that we are worry-free, but that even with all of our worries and fears, we can feel life, real life (and real love) burning and growing inside us. the love that sets us free teaches us to live with hope.. before we realize it, when we feel that amazing love, and we live life with the freedom to simply to be ourselves, then begin to believe that hope is alive. tonight i have been thinking about the love that i have in my life these days, and how that love has changed me and given me an amazing gift of freedom, the freedom to have the courage to just be me. perhaps if we lived with a little more love in our lives, we would promote the possibility of freedom for others, giving hope to all, and working toward peace. but, it all begins with love. love is there for everyone, and needed by everyone. my love is gonna sing for the third sunday in advent next week. she is dedicating one of the songs to the women she works with at a treatment center for addicts of drugs and alcohol. these women have had tough, difficult lives, but they are working to get back the lives that they almost lost. what all of them really want is to simply be loved and to be set free. so, my love is gonna sing for them. maybe we can't all sing, but we can all love someone who needs it. love. peace. freedom.

• moving out of our apartment this weekend (lease is up)
• moving back to lake junaluska (gonna save some money...big time. me like.)
• gonna have a long commute to school/work every morning & afternoon again. gaaah.
• headed to sweden in 17 days for a 2 week, very special, amazingly cozy holiday!! my heart is bursting!
• all of this is because i am beginning a wonderful, new part of my life!
• but...still teaching at t.c. roberson in asheville

i love this time of year. we know something is coming... we're full of anticipation, traditions both new and old, cozy nights, christmas lights everywhere, a feeling of hope and excitement. during advent we impatiently wait for the coming of christmas. we spend our time in the long, dark, winter nights longing for the bright hope that comes with the christmas season. there is a feeling that something big is gonna happen. we wait with hope. and somehow, during this time of year, even in the middle of all of the dark, we believe a little bit more that anything is possible, that we are not alone, that love really does win.