Favorite Moments of 2008

This year has been full of surprises. I have been one busy chickie and due to the busy-ness, the Christmas letter that I wrote turned into a New Year's letter. It's pretty great recap of my year, so I thought that I would include it along with some of my favorite memories and moments from 2008.

As an independent member of society, I decided it might be nice to send out a New Year's letter of my own and let folks know what was going on in my life. (Truthfully, I was going to send a Christmas letter and time just got away from me. Oops. This may serve as more of a reminder that I am growing up than asking for a can opener and a tea kettle for Christmas. Yes, I really did.)

I am a junior at Columbus State University here in Columbus, Georgia. I am majoring in Journalism and Photography. After changing my major about six times (and no, that is not an exaggeration), I have finally made up my mind. I have a lot of passion for both writing and photography. After I get my undergraduate, I would like to get my masters. Whether it will be in Journalism or Photography, I am not sure yet.

I moved out of Mom and Dad's house at the end of August of 2007. I am living in an apartment complex approximately twenty minutes away from Upatoi (where Mom and Dad live). I am about five minutes from Campus and ten minutes from work. It is so nice! I live with two other girls, Jessica and Genine. They are fantastic and we get along well. We each have our own rooms and bathrooms, so there is no lack of personal space. I have a sweet dog named Surls. He is a yellow lab who was abandoned in the park. He lives with Mom and Dad right because he is so big, but he is my little buddy. Although he can be a handful at times, I am glad that God threw him my way.

I am working at the Springer Opera House as the Education Assistant. My job duties include preparing study guides for the schools coming to see our productions, conducting workshops in the schools, teaching and assisting in the classes that our theater provides, and pretty much anything else my boss tells me to do. It also includes being cast in shows if they need me. I was cast as Piglet in Winnie the Pooh and the bride in Father of the Bride earlier this season. It's a great job and one that I love going to everyday.

Travel has become a favorite hobby. At the end of this summer, I took a trip to D.C. to see friends and wander the city. I went last year for fall break with Mom and Caroline, but loved it so much that I decided to go again, this time alone. I was able to stand on the south lawn of the White House and watch Marine One land with the President, First Lady, and Press Secretary all on board. What a treat!

God has really been working in my life in the past year and I have never been happier in Him. He has blessed me beyond what I ever could have imagined! I am a Yong Life leader at Shaw High School here in Columbus. For those of you who don't know what YL is, we reach out to high school students and share Jesus Christ with them. My kids are a huge part of my life. I am in daily awe of God's love, grace, and mercy in my life. I am learning how to thank Him for the good, as well as the not so good in my life, realizing fully that He has “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give (me) a future and a hope...” (Jeremiah 29:11)

That is my life up to speed. I am very busy and extremely happy. Life has thrown me some curve balls in the past year, but I am fully content with the life that God has blessed me with. What an awesome God we serve!

• Snow day '08. This day is not only one of my favorites from the year, but it ranks in my top five favorite days of all time. Mom took me, Katie, and Ben to find the snow when it hit Georgia in early January of this year. It was a great day with family and one that I will treasure always.
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• Sharptop Cove. Experiencing this great Young Life camp with new friends and old friends and getting the best and most surprising surprise I have ever received, makes this early February weekend a weekend that I will never forget. Jesus spoke to my heart in a totally new and inspiring way. It was that weekend that I knew "I was made for this."
• My first Club at Shaw Highschool. Matt and Rich made me pretend that I was the pizza girl that just happened to fall in love with Young Life and become a leader. There are still kids who are confused by this. Hehe.
• My summer trip to the Garvin home. Amanda was preaching at Cannon UMC and I was invited to come and spend the weekend. It was a great weekend of swimming, shopping, and fellowship with one of my favorite families.
• Springer Theater Academy. I was only involved for one week, but it was a great week. My summer was far too memorable in a not so great way and it was a nice ending to a not so nice summer.
• Washington, D.C. The last week of July, I went to D.C. to see some friends. It was a wonderful opportunity to get some much needed alone time and experience the big city alone. I was (and am) very proud of myself and not using a map, concealing my camera, and crossing the street before the light told me to. I prided myself in being a non-tourist.
• Country's Midnight Run. After hurting my knee and not being able to run all summer, I was able to run two of the three miles of the Country's 5k at the end of August. I finished in 35 minutes, which I was pretty proud of considering the fact that I had not run in a couple of months.
• The Vander-Baker nuptials. Two of my dearest friends were joined in holy matrimony in early September. It was one of the most fun weekends. Lots of friends, old and new. And tons of good food, good music, and genuine joy and excitement for two fabulous people.
• My job. That morning that I had coffee with Mr. Ron and later got my current job at the Springer Opera House was a very exciting moment for me. I am finally in a job that I love, in a building that I love, with people I love and who love me. Yay!
• Father of the Bride. Mr. Ron casting me as the bride in FOB was a neat part of my year. It was the only role that I really wanted this season and being given the opportunity to do something that I love so much was really an honor.
• Thanksgiving. It sounds so silly, but I have never been as excited as I was this year about my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is so special to me, but having all of my friends home this year made the holiday that much more exciting. I am truly blessed to have friends like mine.

This list seems short to me and I know that there are other moments that have slipped my mind. I am thinking of them right now. Joining my church was a huge deal. Going to the beach with Caroline and Liz was a joy and a blessing. Lucy being home this summer and driving the Mustang everywhere. And getting my dog, Surls, was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I am blessed beyond compare and there are no words adequate enough to express my joy and contentment in the life that my Savior has given me. He is worthy to be praised and mighty in His works.