A Season of Joy

December is usually my favorite time of the year.  I've always been excited for Christmas and love spending time with all my family.  Maybe it's because I'm an extrovert and love parties and seeing people.  This December has been so different, but good in its own way.  I have a hard time believing that this is the Sunday before Christmas, or that I'll be spending all of Thursday in airplanes and airports with millions of other people fighting to get home.  I've been praying for the weather, and that I'll be home safely, as well as praying that God will help this trip refresh and encourage me.  If I'm being perfectly honest I would have to admit that I'm afraid to come home in some ways.  Afraid that I'll be reminded how much I love it, making coming back to my new "home" a new level of difficult.  There is peace, however, in knowing that I am where God wants me, so I'm approaching this vacation with that attitude.  I've been blessed in so many ways by my church family here who listen to my woes and pray with me and for me.  I do love them.  

I am looking forward to my week at home. 

 In so many ways it still hasn't hit me that I live so far from everything I know and love.  I'm learning to know and love DC, and Maryland, but it is still not the same as being home.  I can't wait to eat at Majors, talk with my dad, shoot a gun, hang out with my brothers, see how tall Kurt has gotten, hold my growing nephew, gaze at the barren hills, look at the mountain in awe, and thank my Savior for all He has given me.  A season of Joy is what I titled this blog, and as I remember why we celebrate I remember that more than ever this has been a season of joy for me.  Jesus came.  He came for me.  He took my sin and removed it.  There is joy in understanding who Jesus is on an even deeper level, and also joy in truly taking advantage of my time with my family.  This is a joyous season.

 I've been slack in updating this blog.  I've had a very busy few weeks since I last wrote on here, and so I'm going to post a few pictures.  I've was blessed to go see Hilary and Tim in Florida.  It was an awesome weekend, and not one I'll soon forget.  I also spent quite a bit of time with my dear friend Sandra.  She is easily my closest friend here in DC.  She lives in Alexandria but I met her through our mutual friend Emily Hoover.  Emily has been a friend of mine since I was very little and we became even better friends in college.  She met Sandra in Michigan during an internship at the University.  Sandra moved here at the same time as me, and we've been going through similar phases as we adjust to living somewhere so foreign to where we grew up.  She and I do our best to go on adventures and explore our new surroundings.  I love her a lot.  So, here are some pictures.  They are random, but enjoy. 

I was finally able to make my coconut cream pie!  I made it when I was with Tim and Hilary in Florida.  It was sooooo good.  :D

Merry Christmas to you all.  I'm looking forward to 2011!