Back to Bethlehem

This past week and weekend, Matt and I got to play "Mary and Joseph" in the Christmas concert at our church. We got to do this last year too and always have a fun time. It's a great part -no lines, we just get to sit there during the concert looking "thoughtful" :0)

(More updates below...sorry I've been so out of touch lately everybody!)

Christmas in Bathurst

After enjoying "The Living Christmas Tree" with mom and dad in Moncton the last weekend of November, Matt and I headed to his mom's house in Bathurst for an early Christmas celebration. Barb and Roger have gone to Florida and will be there through the winter, so we had to bring Christmas to their house before they left! We had a great time celebrating with Roger's two sons and their families as well.

More Operation Christmas Child Pictures

Thanks for the pictures Tara! Here is our small group HARD at work during collection week!

Ann and Jodi had alot of fun making those "odd" sized boxes fit...

Operation Christmas Child -Collection Week!

Well -we made it! Matt and I survived our first Collection Week as the new Local Collection coordinator team here in Miramichi! We were practically living at the church last week receiving boxes from the surrounding community. It was a great time getting to meet people from the different churches in the area, as well as people from different schools and other organizations who got involved.

A teacher in one of the middle schools got excited about the program just last week. She sent notices home and had the students bring in different items that could be packed into a shoebox. In just 2 days, the students had collected over 3000 items to donate! This was just one of the many stories that we heard throughout the week.

Our total was a new record for this little town of Miramichi, New Brunswick. We sent 1672 shoeboxes to the near by processing center today! Praise the Lord!




Our small group was a HUGE blessing last week -they came in one night and packed over 400 boxes. Then on Saturday they helped us to get all of the cartons up onto the stage for our Dedication service on Sunday night and then helped to pack everything up and get ready to go after the service! We are blessed with such great friends who are so supportive!





More pictures to follow soon....

What's New With Us

Hey everyone! Matt and I have been super busy this fall with work, Sunday School and Operation Christmas Child. I would appreciate your prayers as the collection week for Operation Christmas Child comes next week. It will be a busy time getting all of the boxes together and sending them to Moncton to the processing center.

Here are a few highlights from the last 2 weeks at the Esson house!

A friend from small group needed to be away for a couple of days, so we kept Hershey for her -a chocolate lab puppy with LOTS of energy!

Last weekend we headed to Fredericton to see Paul Brandt do a concert to promote Operation Christmas Child. We then headed to Portland, Maine the next day with Tiger and Sharon to catch the Phillips, Craig and Dean/Selah concert! We had a great time shopping and eating out and the concert was incredible! We were so glad that we were able to go!

Tiger and Sharon had never been to an Olive Garden before -they loved it!

Also, my sweet nephew Andrew turned 5 last Thursday -he's a big "Cars" fan.
Happy Birthday Andrew!
(If you're wondering, Jen has a "Cars" tatoo on her cheek...that was a big highlight of the party :0)

Weekend with Scott and Dee

Matt and I got to spend some wonderful time with soon-to-be parents, Scott and Dee Kohler! They left McAdam on Sunday afternoon and arrived in the Miramichi in time for supper. We had a fun time catching up with them and learning about their ministry in McAdam. I was able to give them a "big tour" of the Miramichi on Monday and Dee and I were able to get a few hours of scrapbooking in! We are blessed with these friends! Thanks for coming guys!

Dee loves the leaves in Millerton!

Mommy and Daddy to be....yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Matt and I had a great Thanksgiving! We were lucky to have two dinners -one at Grammie Esson's on Sunday and then another one at Matt's mom's on Monday.

When we drove to Bathurst on Monday, we took our time and enjoyed some hiking and the beautiful fall colours here.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

At Papineau Falls

At Little Sheephouse Falls

At Grammie Esson's House

Operation Christmas Child -just a reminder!

Hey everyone -I have had such a good time working with this ministry here in the Miramichi this past month. Here's a reminder for you to save a shoebox, pack it up and get it to a local collection center by Nov. 18!
You can find all of the info online
-including where you can drop it off in your area! :0)

Love to you all!

So, how did you two meet?

Well, I thought I would write a little blog about how Matt and I met. We get asked this question a lot and I love telling the story over and over again! It is most definitely a testimony of God's faithfulness in our lives!

I was working at Tri State Christian School in Galena, Illinois and Matt was attending Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. I lived in Dubuque as well-it was only about 20 minutes from Galena.

In the second grade curriculum that I taught, I was to teach them about "Oceania", including Papua New Guinea and Australia. One of the objectives in this unit was to try and teach the kids about overseas missions -in particular, teach them about the work of New Tribes Missions in Papua New Guinea! I had not officially met Matt at this point. I had heard about him and knew that there was a fellow "maritimer" at Emmaus, but we had not yet made a connection.

I actually ended up calling someone else from the school first that I knew had worked with New Tribes in Papua New Guinea to see if they would be willing to come and speak in my class to the kids about their experience. That person wasn't able to make it and gave my phone number to Matt! (Thanks TJ !!!)

Matt and I connected on the phone and he said that he wouldn't mind coming to speak to my class. We also found out all of these things that we had in common while we were talking -like where we were from and the people we both knew. We decided to meet on a Sunday afternoon to discuss what he was going to talk about. I met him and as soon as I got in the car to go home, I called a friend and said WOW!!!!!!! What do you know about this guy??? :0)

Matt was supposed to come to my class on a Wednesday and actually broke his leg on Monday afternoon! But he still hobbled in that morning and made a great presentation to the kids!

On Thursday night I was trying to think of some clever ways I could thank him for coming to my class and to really get his attention. I tried baking cookies and they burnt, so I figured this HAD to be a sign that I wasn't supposed to get Matt's attention. (The Lord's plans always prevail in the best ways!)

The next morning when I got to school, there was an email from him thanking me for allowing him the chance to share about his experience and wondering when we could see each other again!!!!

A week later we had our first date and the rest is history.....

I am so blessed with my Prince Charming -my Matt!

What are your stories of meeting each other?

Broken Leg!

Matt and my second grade students -Feb. 25, 2004



At Emmaus Spring Banquet April 2004

On the Carleton River Tour in Fredericton -Summer 2004

Summer is coming to an end!

Well -it is definitely getting colder around here and the leaves are starting to change colour. Matt is asking for things like chili and pumpkin bread...he's also excited for me to start substituting again! The next few posts are a recap of some of our summer days....



I was able to get to Fredericton 2 weeks ago to spend the day with Dee! She is a great friend that has been around for awhile. Her and her husband Scott are living a few hours away in McAdam and working at the Baptist church there (for more info, click on the link to the right to see their blog!)
Dee and I also got married on the same day last year and have enjoyed helping each other through the first year!
(Thanks for the picture Dee!)

Trip to St. Andrew's

Right before I headed out to Iowa, Matt and I and two other couples headed to St. Andrew's for the weekend. We had a great time together! All of the wives have just been recently introduced in the last few years, but Matt and Mike and Brett go all the way back to elementary school!

Mike and Terri Maltby

Brett and Ann Cameron

Whale Watching -do you see it??

Andrew's First Day of Preschool

Andrew had his very first day of preschool last week! He goes every Tuesday and Thursday. Jen said he is doing very well. He loves his "Cars" lunchbox and while doing a project telling about why God made him special, he told the teacher that he liked his ears.
The boy is brilliant! :0)

Camping with Small Group

We recently spent a weekend camping with our small group. We have been meeting with most of these young couples for the past year on Wednesday nights. We started studying "The Purpose Driven Life" last fall and now we are working on the "Doing Life Together" series. We are so thankful for our small group and the wonderful friendships that we have made!

Aaron and Tara Spencer

Tim and Sarah Johnson (Tim is our new youth pastor at the church. They just moved here a month ago after Tim graudated from Acadia last spring. It was great to get to know them that weekend!)

When it started clouding over in the afternoon, the guys got working on setting up a tarp that would cover the campfire and all of us sitting around it. They did a good job...once it all got figured out! :0)

Mission accomplished!
It did end up raining later that evening and we were able to sit around the campfire talking...and stayed completely dry!

The happy campers

Trip To Iowa

Hi Everybody! Sorry I haven't updated in a little while. I just got home on Tuesday night from Dubuque, IA. I was there with my mom and dad for a little over 2 weeks visiting with family and friends.
Matt and I learned that absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder!


Papa was very busy building the train set with Andrew and Devin.

Being with family is the best!

Slowly waking up from naptime...

Andrew got his very first bike. He had a great time riding and especially enjoyed wearing his helmet -even out to supper!

"Are you sure about this Papa?" (one of Andrew's most famous questions right now)

Papa and Andrew making breakfast for us.

Devin at the church softball game.

Congratulations to Angie and Jason on their recent engagement! I was so glad to be in Dubuque when it happened so that I could celebrate with Ange!

Saying goodbye to the beautiful bride

The most gorgeous nephews...

Going to see "Cars" with Papa and Grandma!

Grandma taking the boys for a ride

Then for a ride with Daddy


Andrew learned all about painting shelves for the garage

We had a wonderful time! Thanks for having us Eric and Jen! It was so great to see you all!