{.goodbye 2011, hello new beginning!}

So 2011 has finally reached its end. Can you believe it?! Now let me tell you from the start...I don't have one of those exciting play by plays to share with you to sum up my year. This year was probably the weirdest, craziest year I've had so far...and by far it taught me the most! I definitely had lots of new experiences. I spent the first eight months of the year working as a nanny for the first time. Instead of waking up and going to classes like I was used to, I got up early every morning and took care of three adorable little girls. That job wasn't always easy, but it taught me a lot and was very rewarding in the end.

Sitting out a semester of college brought a lot of challenges, but also new opportunities. It opened my eyes to things I wouldn't have been able to see otherwise. Something else good that came out of staying at home was that I was able to earn enough money to go on a two week missions trip to New York City. I helped teach a two week summer school program for a group of beyond precious kids. That trip happened right during a challenging time in my life and going on it was exactly what I needed. It helped me take my focus off myself and instead use my energy to love those kids, show them how much God loves them, and give them all I could in my time there. I was also able to grow closer to my good friend Lydia and meet a lot of new friends there! New York brought many fun new experiences, including seeing the 4th of July fireworks in Manhattan, seeing Wicked on Broadway, hanging out in Manhattan with new friends, and so much more!

A few days after I got home from New York, I started thinking about school again. I was planning on transferring to a school closer to home, but after New York I felt I should return to the same Christian school I had been going to. This decision wasn't easy, but by the end of the summer I knew it was what I needed to do. These past several months have been the biggest spiritual growth period I've been through so far and I am so thankful for it. It took me a while to truly be thankful, but right now I can honestly say I am. I was able to see things for what they were and in the process God revealed Himself to me in such a real and personal way. It was far from easy, but throughout the rest of the year God continued to use people and circumstances to draw me closer to Him. He took away things I loved, He took away friends, but in return He gave me something much greater...I got to know my God better. I learned more about Him and His love for me. That is something I'd choose any day over relationships or friends or anything else of this world.

So I guess I said in the beginning I didn't have an exciting year...but I suppose I did. Maybe not by the world's definition of exciting, but it has definitely been one crazy year. Many times a roller coaster, but where would anyone get in life if they didn't take a few twists and turns and ups and downs? It's part of this crazy, challenging, beautiful, scary, wonderful, confusing thing called life! So with that said...I hope you all have a great New Year's Eve and strive for a great year in 2012! I've been thinking of some resolutions I want to stick with this year and this is what I came up with:

-Spend more time in God's Word and seek to know Him more.

-Learn to play my new guitar! Something I said I would do months ago and I'm finally doing it!

-Exercise daily...even if its just for 10 minutes!

-Lay off the sweets...we'll see how long this one lasts. =P

-Be a better sister, daughter, and friend.

-Read more.

-Smile more. =)

I'm sure I'll be adding more to this list as time goes on...why is it that we only make resolutions at the beginning of the year...shouldn't we be striving to do better and make new goals for ourselves year round? Just a thought. =)

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOD BLESS!