twenty-ten

i get all reflective this time of year.

does anyone else?

i think there is something very profound about the beginning and end of things.
years.
lives.
stories.
journeys.

not because the beginning and end are the most important part,
but because it presents an ideal opportunity to

remember
dream
change
plan
reflect
rejoice
pray
share

just think about the birth of a new baby. or a funeral.
the last day of the year. or the first.
a wedding day. or a divorce.

these are moments in life--special moments--that make time slow down and make me appreciate things to a greater degree.

today is one of these days.
the last hours of twenty-ten.
it will never been 2010 again. crazy.

so today I plan on spending some time with my journal.
reflecting on 2010.
praying about 2011.
it has become a tradition of mine.
and it is fun to go back and read what I wrote a year ago.
or five.

i am very excited to see what God has in store.
no matter what it is, I'm sure it will be good.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thanks for reading in 2010. :)

christmas sabbatical

i took a little sabbatical from blogging this month.
not really on purpose.
it just kinda happened.

December has been a crazy month.
I know that it feels that way for most people. unfortunately.
but this December was different, and difficult, for me.

I wish I could say it was all celebration and anticipation.
but it wasn't.
there were definitely MOMENTS of joy, celebration, and anticipation.
and this past week, which has been spent with family, has been wonderful.
(more on that later)
but a majority of the month was....long. difficult. emotional.

please do not read "BAD," because that is not what I am saying.

it's just that working in Residential Treatment with adolescents who are separated from their families during the holidays is, well, hard.
they are emotional.
i am emotional.


and not being on a school schedule, where you get 2-3 weeks off for the holidays is a bummer. seriously.
another reason that growing up stinks.
unless you are Rob, which means you still get the break.
maybe i shouldn't have rebelled against the family tradition of teaching :)

and due to all the changes in our life, we had yet to find a new church "home" by the time Christmas rolled around, which left us feeling displaced and homeless during this season of celebrating our Savior.

it just wasn't the December i knew.
which is okay.
but it just means that I am learning and adjusting.
when we were driving out to Western Kansas for Christmas,
I told Rob that I wished I had a do-over for December.

not because it was so great,
but because I learned some things and I wish I could go back and do it different.
this is soooo my personality, by the way.
i hate to miss out on anything.
i am very critical of myself.
and i really like to get the most of every moment.

here are some things that I learned from this December:

--get organized before the holidays hit.
--find ways to celebrate the small things.
--decorate! even if you don't like your little apartment. do it. it just makes it feel like Christmas.
--spend time with those you love. doing simple things. instilling traditions. drinking coco. looking at Christmas lights. stuff like that.
--let go. it is not about ME or THINGS or LISTS.
--read the Christmas story from the Bible. and Children's books. Reflect on Jesus and what HE HAS DONE not what I need to do.

thank goodness I get another December next year.
and thank goodness I get to celebrate Jesus all year long.

bleed purple

the same Saturday the Sibayans arrived
Rob and I were given FREE tickets to the K-State vs Colorado game.
(Thanks, Hartzells!)

we drove up to Boulder, ready to cheer the Cats to Victory.
unfortunately, they did not deliver in the victory department.
what started as a very promising KSU season, has not ended that great.
but, hey, they say we are still bowl eligible. so that's exciting.

even though I didn't get to see a KSU win,
I did get to see several people from WaKeeney, including one of my high school classmates.
I saw a total of 10 people that I knew from Kansas.
Kansas is such a small world.
even in Colorado.

snow

nothing says the holidays like some nice, white, fluffy SNOW.
I had hoped (and even prayed) that Denver would get some good snowfall while the Sibayans were here.

I wanted Gab and Jake to wake up to a fresh blanket of snow.
I loved that as a child.
There was mystery involved. and excitement.
I guess I really wanted to relive that through the eyes of my sweet niece and nephew.

But, alas, we had no snow in the metro area.
so we decided to drive up the mountains to find some.

we pulled of I-70. bundled up. and jumped on our sleds.



Rob and I's attempt didn't go so well.

Poor little Gabi wasn't a huge fan of how cold it was.
the cold is way worse when you have 0% body fat.
can't say that i have that problem. :)
maybe that's why I like the snow.
ha!