Reflection

A great Christmas with family and friends. I feel so blessed today! It seems like for so many years I was either flying on Christmas, driving on Christmas, or getting ready to leave days after Christmas, and time with family has felt short, or like I was missing out. Today was a day filled with joy and blessings.

So tonight, as I sit by my fake fire lit up, and my beautiful tree, I am spending moments in reflection. I love to look at my ornaments, each ornament has a story. This year, many ornaments were added, or some were just given more meaning.

After reading so many Christmas letters, and a few blogs of people who are reflecting on their years, I decided that tonight would be a great night to reflect on my year. This year was a mix of highs and lows. I will only point out the things I really remember.

January- The year started out with one of my best friends, spending a relaxing weekend at the beach. We decided to head to "the Dune," which is the only restaurant/pub/bar open in Manzanita for New Years Eve. It was quite the place to be! It was there that Ali met her future (or so we think) husband! Although it doesn't really have much to do with me, it was a fun thing to be a part of! And also, Ali's friendship is one of those things that I have been thankful for this year. I realize that I have found some really great friends here in Hillsboro. I knew it before, but as the relationships grow, I just keep realizing how lucky I am.

February- a BIG month! It started with my two best friends (Jen and Lori) coming to visit me from Texas. We had our second annual "Girls Weekend" in Manzanita. Such a great time just being together and relaxing at the cabin.

The following weekend, my roommate and I hosted an "Opening Ceremony Party" for the Olympics. We went all out, and I made Oregon heart cookies, which ended up being a key for the year, since I made them over and over sending them to different people. Anyways... The next morning I woke up, and within an hour, I was in the emergency room with a kidney stone. I was sick for the next two weeks, on my parent's couch. This was the wake up call that I needed. I had been wanting to get in shape for my trip to Europe, but kept putting it off. Well, while I was sick, I realized that Europe was fast approaching, so I started making wiser decisions about what I was eating, and started going to the gym. I started with the dance class that my secretary teaches, and had a lot of fun. I took the class Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and then she and I would work out Tuesdays and Thursdays.

March- I don't remember much about March, except that I was doing this new work out schedule with Debbi. Oh, I guess one other major life change happened in March. My parents asked me to join Weight Watchers with them. I gave in, and agreed...and 40 lbs later, boy am I glad I did! Between my whole family, we have lost a junior higher! I was a little embarrassed at first, but after seeing the change that has happened over the last 8 months, I'm not as embarrassed anymore. It works!

April- another BIG month! I started with the trip to Spain that I have been dreaming about for the last 14 years! I met up with a friend in Pamplona, and from there we flew to Rome, Italy to spend Easter. We spent Easter with the Pope at the Vatican. While I was there, I ran into a student of mine from Hillsboro, who was on a foreign exchange program in Germany! It was pretty incredible! We enjoyed Italy for a few days, then flew to Valencia Spain, where we enjoyed a week. It was a wonderful vacation! The first time that I have ever been completely away from work! So refreshing!

Also in April, my beautiful baby nephew was born. Wesley. I didn't really bond with him in the beginning, being as I kept calling him "Sam" but now we are inseparable. I keep telling my sister that being an Aunt is one of the greatest blessings in life. I hope she gets to experience it some day!

May-Another beach weekend with friends! Kim and Ali...always fun, always laughter, always relaxing! 4th Tuesday FRIENDS OF FRIENDS FOREVER!!! Also celebrated by taking my mom and Debbie (Cassie's mother in law) out to Mother's Day Tea. Had a lot of fun with them, and the most delicious tea! Dessert in a cup! Also, I got a lot of work done on my house and yard!

June- I got to be a bridesmaid in one of my best friends' wedding. It was a wonderful trip to San Antonio, hanging out with old students and friends. But it was also a bittersweet trip, as my grandparents had just gotten sick, and it was kind of a "good bye" trip for my grandma. I was able to spend a lot of time with my grandparents, cooking for them, cleaning, helping out around the house. I was also there to put my grandma in the hospital. My mom flew down and joined me, taking care of grandpa. Jen got married, and then I said goodbye to my grandma. She never really got to see the change I made in life, but I know she would be proud.

After the wedding trip, I went straight to camp. I would have left camp to go on a mission trip, but we cancelled it when grandma got sick.

July- 07/07/10 Grandma passed away.

I headed down to San Antonio to celebrate her life, and spend time with family. I was so blessed by the family and friends who came out to support us. Friends from all over San Antonio came to the viewing, the funeral, and gave me an outpouring of support. Along with that, I received so many cards, phone calls, etc. I count my blessings by how many people were there supporting and praying for my family during that time. It was also during this week that I got to bond with my nephew, Wes. I held him daily, snuggled with him constantly, and took him on as my little buddy. We became so close in that week, I think our relationship will be strong for life. But as I look back, my greatest memory from that time is of my grandpa, as he cried. He was the last one in the viewing room, came out and said "I gave her one last kiss" as he cried. This is my last memory of my grandpa. They were married 63 years and 4 days.

It was also while I was in Texas that I began to look up events to raise money for the Arthritis foundation, and discovered the "Jingle Bell Run." I decided that I was going to run it, and set out to do so.

I came back and headed straight to camp. Good week at camp. Always wonderful to be surrounded by friends!

August- took my dad on our Graduates trip, which was backpacking on Mt. Hood. It was such a wonderful trip! Truly a mountain peak experience. Hiking, feeling good. As far as my health goes, this was a big test. My dad and I were at the head of the pack, and that felt GREAT!!! We had a great time being together, and so much fun with the grads!

We came home from that mountain experience to hit a valley hard. 08/08/10 we got a call, my grandpa had been in a car accident and was killed instantly. We couldn't believe it.

So we headed back to Texas. This time I took 2 weeks to be with family. I held and snuggled Wesley as we went through yet another funeral experience. Grandma and Grandpa are together, and that's they way they wanted it. I miss them both tremendously. One of the good things that came from this trip, was that my family got to spend even more time together. We had everyone out to the lake. It was great. I also got to know some extended family better, and I just feel like my family ties (close and extended) are so much stronger. But, it has been heartbreaking watching my mom go through this, as well as my Uncle and our families.

As I look back, I am reminded of another beautiful highlight of August. I was able to watch my "baby cousin" (who is a Freshman in high school) get baptized. What an incredible moment and story of God's goodness!

September was trying to get back to normal. I did make a trip to the beach for my birthday. Alicia came down for a couple of days, so we got to hike Neahkahnie Mountain and go to the Dune to check out a Prince Cover band. That made a great birthday! Then my parents came out to spend my actual birthday with me. It was a fun weekend! Also, in September, I began my training for the jingle bell run with the "couch to 5k"

October- back to the beach with another best friend, Kim. This time we kept it low key, and it was WONDERFUL!!! Played games, read by the fire, drank coffee...it was great! As I write out my year in review, I realize that I spent a lot of time at the beach, and it was all very influential and with people that I love!

November- my work month! CPYA...another year come and gone! and it was good! Again, another great conversation with Kim, fun with friends, mentors, and students.

December- I can't believe the month is almost over! December has been wonderful! Started the month with the Jingle Bell Run! I ran it! did the whole thing, no stopping. 5k. I was able to get a team of 10 together, and met my goal! I know my grandma would have been proud, and it felt great! I now have plans to kick of the new year with another 5k at midnight New Years Eve! Also, I met my first goal, and lost 40 lbs. I took this week off from eating healthy, and I'm hurting! I will be back on track before Sunday is over! I couldn't even make it a whole week.

So a lot of life change has happened in this one "simple" year! I'm healthy, feeling good, loving life, and missing those that I love. I have been blessed by numerous relationships, and am thankful for the friendships that are growing stronger each day!

Plans for this year? Run the 5k. Train for a 10k (which I will just run for fun, not for a race). Going to Wisconsin with the besties. Greece. and make it to the mountain with Rebekah!

It's going to be a good year!

The year has been tough for me, for my family, and for some good friends of mine. But I am hopeful for the new year, and thankful for what this year has shown me and taught me.