dust off the blog.

it's actually been a month. an entire month [minus 3 days]. i remember writing my last post like it was yesterday. i was very stressed but VERY excited to be heading home. i was deep in thought about many things, and also very sick at the time. 1st term was coming to a close, and my upcoming Christmas break was already packed full of plans with family and friends. and here i am, the entire month of December behind me, left with happy memories and hundreds of pictures :)

to put it simply, my time at home was perfect. the ONLY thing that could have possibly made it any better would have been more time. but time is always my problem. i always seem to need more time with people. more time for memories, for laughter, for sharing and loving. i suppose

that's one of God's great lessons for us - only He knows exactly how much time we need in each place and with each person. so, back to the theme of living by faith withOUT all the answers, i am left with nothing to say but thank you. Thank you, Jesus, for all the minutes and seconds i had at home, with my family and my friends, and most dearly, my joel :) you, my sweet boyfriend, i could never get sick of. time with you is where i am happiest and find it easiest to understand the blessings in my life. our planned 8 days was sadly turned into only 6 when God took your grandpa home, and while it made me sad to have less time with you, it broke my heart even more to see you upset. i am eternally grateful for the opportunity to be home in that moment you needed me most, and i am so proud of you for being so strong this past week through all the hard times both alone and with family. i love you and can only pray i'm there for all other moments in your life that are

equally upsetting.

i left school in december, went home for a day, flew to mexico with mikaela and after the parentals met us there the next day, we

all spent the following 7 days together in the sun [or shade in my dad's case] relaxing and catching up. we slept in each morning, spent all day under the sun, played some mexican train, did happy hour every evening by the beach, and watched at TON of big bang and modern family. i have really missed them, especially my sister. life has pulled us all in different directions the last couple of years, and

this is only the beginning. i predict the next 10 years will hold a couple weddings, maybe some kids, and definitely some settling down in towns or states that may not be as close to each other as

we've hoped over the years. so, given those relatively predictable circumstances, time together is a gift now, one to be cherished and recorded via 700 pictures in a week's time. obviously ;)

we flew home from mexico and i spent a couple days waiting for you to come home, joel. you finally did that sunday night, and i remember seeing you walk through the door in my basement for the first time in 3 months.. and that first hug was priceless. i had waited so long for that :) the following 6 days were the mostsatisfying and perfect 144 hours any girl possibly spend with her boyfriend. i've already said this several times, but thank you SO MUCH for being around. thank you for spending time with my friends, and my family, and sitting through hundreds and hundreds of pictures over the course of the week. i'm so grateful you love being in pictures with me... otherwise i dont know if i'd be seeing a future with you ;) on several occasions you took me out to lunch, and dinner, watched a movie with me [a recent favorite of mine now ;)], bought me a Christmas gift, drove me around without question, and took care of me when i needed you most. thank you for your understanding nature and kind heart. the conversations and honesty we shared were what i was most excited to come home to. aside from your kisses ;) my new years with with was everything i could have hoped for. i truly believe i wouldn't make it through this school year as strong as i'm going to if it weren't for you and everything our relationship means to me. last week at home was absolutely wonderful, and i know leaving was the hardest part, but i KNOW that june will be a month unlike any other homecoming i've ever experienced. i can't wait, and i'm beyond lucky to have a guy who wants to wait for me, too :]


seeing friends was also wonderful; so much had changed since leaving in september i wasn't sure what to expect when i got home. but my relationships were somehow sustained throughout my time gone, and reuniting with the girls and guys closest to me was such a joy :) i missed my tri delts SO much and seeing them over new years was absolutely perfect! sara, kim, stephany, katie, devin and jenny - i'm so grateful i got to see you, and kristen and kelsey - i'm sad i missed you but we'll have time this summer! every conversation was exactly what i needed. i love my friends :)

so, in a nutshell, that was my last month. i have some goals and expectations for myself this next term, on which i fully intend to expand in my next blog so as to keep myself accountable to all who read. for now, i'm warm and safe at Verinoka's house with her family and awesome german dog. traveling overnight across the globe all alone was an experience in and of itself, but i'm here now and that's what is important.

i love you all, and miss home an incredibly amount already.