New Traditions

What are your family traditions? Matt and I are about to share our first Christmas together. Growing up in different places, we have both experienced different traditions during this time of year. Here are some family traditions from my side of the family:

• Getting a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving; in most recent years actually cutting the tree from a Christmas tree farm
• Eating brie and apples (prepared by my mom) while setting up the Christmas tree, and listening to Amy Grant holiday music
• Buying the chocolate advent calendar to count down the days till Christmas (thanks to my Aunt Raetta)
• Celebrating a "World Christmas" put on by my Aunt Marcy
• Catching up on all the latest movies with Dad
• Opening each gift (youngest to oldest) one at a time - taking the whole day of Christmas
• Shopping after Christmas to get the best deals
• My sister and I receiving/wearing matching Christmas pajamas
• Eating - morning, lunch, after lunch, before dinner, dinner, at midnight... all the time

Here are a few traditions from Matt's side of the family (In Matt's words):

• Eating Christmas Eve dinner at Mamaw & Papaw's 
• Opening gifts with the Corbins on Christmas Eve at Mamaw & Papaw's
• Breakfast at Mamaw & Papaw's Christmas morning consisting of eggs, pork tenderloin, biscuits & gravy, and Mamaw's preserves
• Playing in the snow with a 4-wheeler (Christmas 2010) - One foot of snow on the ground
• Christmas Eve church service at Holly Springs Baptist Church
• Singing in the church or county wide Christmas musical with Dad directing
• Watching It's A Wonderful Life with the family
• Two days of Christmas fun with the Reitmeiers
• Listening to the Blue Ridge Christmas CD 

This past weekend Matt and I bought and decorated our first tree. A tradition I love! Thanks to my mom and mother-in-law we had enough ornaments and decorations to fill our tree. Usually I turn on Christmas music while decorating, but instead we had football. I guess traditions can be tweaked :)

I am excited to share in our traditions together this Christmas. Merry Christmas from The Corbins!

Operation Christmas Child

It is my favorite time of the year... time to pack those shoeboxes! This past weekend, Matt titled Saturday as "Charissa's Day". No dental school, no studying, no running errands... he dedicated his time to do whatever I wanted to do. Yes, I have an amazing husband.

The number one thing on my list was to pack our shoeboxes. Since working with Operation Christmas Child back in 2009, and seeing the joy that one gift brings to a child in need... there will not be a year that goes by that I won't pack a shoebox. This project reminds me of a set of verses in the bible, Mark 10:13-16. "People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them."

One shoebox. One child. One God. Never underestimate the power of our creator. This project helps bring a child that one moment of joy, that many of us experience every Christmas. It is a time where this child forgets the worries of reality and poverty, and gets to be a CHILD. More importantly, it provides the opportunity for a child to have everlasting joy through Christ. Needless to say, I truly believe in the mission of OCC.

On Saturday, Matt and I dug out our old shoeboxes that we have saved, pulled out supplies we have collected over the year, and headed to the Dollar Store for some extra goodies. Leave it to my husband to make sure their dental hygiene is covered!

When we got home, we added the supplies from the store. Matt packed the shoebox for a 10-14 year old boy, and I packed my shoebox for a 10-14 year old girl. Matt wrote our family letter, and we threw in a picture of us, with a return address. Below is my finished gift! I had a picture of Matt with his shoebox, but I forgot to save it.

They are packed and ready to go to our local collection site. I am excited to see exactly where they go this year. Our prayers are out to everyone working so hard this week and the coming months in collecting, and delivering these precious gifts.

Thank you for what you do.

Six Months Strong

I never thought I would start my own blog. Who would want to read about my life? Is it really that interesting? Would anyone read it anyways? Where do I start?

This year has been monumental in my life. I became a wife. I became a Corbin. We moved to a completely new city; no family near by. Matt started dental school. I entered the corporate world. We set up (and are continuing to unpack) our first home. All in six months!

Matt and I are entering a brand new journey that is filled with joy, challenges, heartaches, love, and an unpredictable future. A future that God is slowly revealing to us as we trust in Him. God has blessed us with our marriage, and we are so thankful that he chose us to live this life together.

So why start a blog? Well... I have a story to tell. Everyone has a story, and I feel like the best way I can share Matt and I's journey through life to our family and friends is to write. We have been so blessed with amazing friends and a loving family. I hope this provides a way for each of you to stay connected with what is going on with Matt and I. One of Matt and I's favorite verses comes from Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper, not to harm. Plans to give you a hope and a future." Join us as God slowly reveals to us His plan.

Let the journey begin...