Winter Getaway

The Beautiful Crescent Hotel

Frisco the six toed cat, protector from Ghosts.

Our beautiful, cozy little room.

So for Christmas, Ross got me a stay at the Crescent Hotel and a couple's massage. Boy was I excited! The Crescent is an historic hotel in Eureka Springs, built in 1886 and still standing. If you know me well at all, you know that I am very passionate about all things historic, so I was totally pumped about this gift.  The Crescent was actually very nice and had a pretty cool atmosphere, but the thing is, its haunted. It has been featured on the Sci Fi Channel, as well as the Travel Channel's "most haunted USA", and if you dare, you can find a video about it on youtube. 

Our room was on the third floor and was supposedly not haunted, but we didn't really ask too many questions either. There was a tabby cat with six toes on his front paws named "Frisco" who came into our room for a while, which was ok with me cause I heard that cats keep away ghosts. Speaking of ghosts, there was a ghost tour we could have taken, but I will admit, I was afraid to find out exactly what was going on in the Crescent, especially since I had to stay the night there.  So, Ross and I go downstairs to the spa to enjoy our massage, and let met say, if you have never had a massage, get one! They are wonderfully relaxing and just the best ever. 

After we recovered from relaxing, we decided to venture out on the town for dinner, finding only a couple places open since its winter season, but we ate decently well. The rest of the night went well, that is, until about 3 AM when I woke up feeling like someone was watching me sleep. It wasnt Ross.  Ross wouldnt even move for me to tell him I thought there was something watching me! Needless to say there is no sleep for me after this point. I think I dozed a little throughout the night, but didn't sleep. We got up the next morning had our complimentary breakfast in the dining room (wonderful, by the way) and headed back home. Next time I go to the Crescent, it will be for the massages and the ghost tour only, not for the stay. And on the way home, Ross tells me that he thought someone hit him during the night. It wasn't me. Is the Crescent haunted? I think so.

Blogging!

I noticed at the beginning of this year that so many people these days are keeping up with one another by blogging. I decided to jump on the bandwagon and let all of you know what is going on in our little corner of Arkansas.  We have been in Fayetteville for a year, and we love it here. We have made some wonderful friends that we love dearly, and work with such an amazing congregation. We couldn't ask for more!

I am in my last semester of masters classes at the University of Arkansas, and hope to have my thesis finished by the fall so that I can graduate in December and continue on to the lofty PhD! I am also working part time at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, and I get to do everything from helping with clerical work to running programs when visitors come in and even sometimes helping in photo archives and collections. This job is a perfect fit for me, and I hope that one day I can find a more permanent home at the museum. 

Ross is very busy with his ministry. No one warns you before you step into the role as youth minister that there are usually a lot of other things that go into it besides working with kids. Needless to say Ross is always busy with some type of church work, and I think he enjoys it very much.  We had such a successful year last year, and have started this one off with a bang.  This blog will also have updates about the youth kids since we have none of our own human children at this point. Yes, I will post things about our little Gus (he is not so little anymore). And don't tell him he is a dog because he does not know yet! :)

Hope this blog helps us to keep in better contact with all of you. Feel free to leave us comments and let us know how you and yours are doing, and if you have a blog, let us know! Love you all, R and J