Endings & Beginnings.

So today marks the last day of winter break for me. Five weeks of freedom have left me refreshed. My time was filled with babysitting, traveling, resting, eating, and enjoying friends and family. I spent time in five different states with multiple friends and family from all over the country. Attending a wedding and celebrating Christmas three times were the main highlights of my trips. Friends from Barnabas and John Brown encouraged me and challenged me in my faith. Family from my side and Brett's side laughed with me and shared with me the stories of life. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have seen many who have impacted my life whether every day or just every once in a while. Even more I am so very thankful for my husband who supported me on my journey. Although he stayed behind to work, I valued every phone conversation we had! I am so thankful for the joys that were shared when we were reunited in Texas for one last weekend with our family.

Laura and I were travel buddies along with Mandy. We had lunch with dear friends Derek & Erin and Michael & Crystal.
My Bolivian friend and I unite. Okay so she's not really Bolivian, but she's been in Bolivia for a couple years now and it's always so good to see Jenna when I can!
The wedding I went to was on January 1, 2011. So of course we celebrated with fireworks on the night before- New Year's Eve!And apparently fireworks with Barnabas friends can get really crazy. It turned into throwing flaming rolls of toilet paper (above) and a roman candle war.

The wedding of Sam Unruh and Hayley Stewart was absolutely beautiful! So many good friends!Mason, the ring-bearer, stole the show!

Christmas with the Haynes family is always a fun time. This is a picture of Brett's parents, siblings, and nieces/nephews! Below, Brett and I smile for our Christmas picture!

Tomorrow I start my third semester in Occupational Therapy school. It seems we will have a busy semester. Between Brett's work schedule, my school schedule, Brett's school obligations, our church commitments and a few babysitting opportunities we will be on the go for the next few months. Throw in my brother's wedding and a week of clinicals for me. We'll be busy. I am excited about the new content to learn this semester and the practical application of that through a new service learning site and my fieldwork experience later in the semester.

Along with a new semester, I hope to rediscover, or discover for the first time, the creative passions within me. Be it by writing, painting, crafting, photo-taking, gardening, cooking, or designing... I hope to be more creative this year. Maybe this blog will see some of those attempts!