Update!

Well, it's been quite some time since my last post so I thought I should start the new year off right and give a brief update of what's been happenin' since my last post. Since Thanksgiving I've attended numerous Christmas parties, to include my work party, Jared's work party, our small group party, and Leadership Bay's Christmas social! I had a nice Christmas that included tons of family, tons of food, tons of good friends, and tons of Christmas decorating, baking, and carols. Christmas Eve we went over to my dad's house and had Christmas with them, then came back to my apartment and Jared and I had our own little Christmas (wasn't what I had pictured but it was still nice). I pictured sitting by the fireplace, sipping on some hot cocoa, while cookies baked and opening our presents with laughter and love and while it was still nice there was no hot cocoa, no fire, and no baked cookies. I've come to learn (and again this year) that I have to throw all expectations out the window. We didn't have cookies, cocoa, and a fire for any particular reason other than I just felt so rushed all day that by the time "our" Christmas came, I was over it! The week of Christmas I had been super sick (that's a HUGE understatement) but needless to say, I didn't want it to ruin Christmas. After we had our Christmas, we went over to Jared's parents and watched (a Christmas movie I'm sure, but I was so out of it from being sick, I really don't remember) and since I was so sick and tired, just asked if we could stay there that night. I slept in the middle bedroom that happened to have all the wrapping paper in it and let me just say that his parents were like Santa's little helpers. The next morning I awoke to come out into a dimly lit living room filled with Christmas lights, the smell of brewing coffee, and presents filling in the room. It was like I was a child again...it brought me back to years prior when my siblings and I couldn't wait to wake up and call our grandparents (at the late hour of 5am...crazy right?!) Anyways, it was a wonderful morning spent with them as we sat around, opened presents, ate breakfast, read about the birth of our Savior and hurried to get ready for lunch (Tom, Cassie and the kids came over)...I thought this would be a good idea since it was right around the corner from the church and Tom had to preach at both services and it ended up being a wonderful time with great friends! After lunch we hurried on to the 2 o'clock service and then went to spend the rest of the evening with my mom, stepdad, and grandmother (which was also wonderful and filled with food, laughter, long talks, and presents)! Since Christmas I have been trying to rest, visit with friends (who are either home for the break or off because they're school teachers, reflect on the past year, and think about the things that I want to change in the coming year, things I want to do in the coming year, and the person I want to continue to become. I constantly feel the need to change and better myself, better my actions, thoughts, motives, humility (meaning become more and more humble), and love people more through all of the prior mentioned. So here's to the *NEW* year and all that comes with it!