The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

After my stressful week of finals, I boarded a plane in Portland and headed down to Thousand Oaks, California for four amazing days with my friends from Bethany Church. I enjoyed four amazing days hanging out with my wonderful friends there. Of course, it would be raining the entire time I go to visit, but that didn't stop us having fun! It was fun to hang out with the youth group, and get to know people that I didn't know very well; that hadn't been to Mexico before. We had fun watching movies, going to Christmas parties, puddle splashing, going to basketball games, eating delicious bread sticks, music videos, Crossfire, getting soaking wet, Church, watching Modern Family, going to Sky High, and much much more. It was so great to spend time creating more unforgettable memories with my dear friends in California.
 After my time in California, I began my journey down to Autlan, Mexico. The emotion and anticipation as I spent the day on the plane and in the airport, was almost unbearable! I hadn't seen my family since October. I received six of the best hugs as I finally arrived in Guadalajara. Christian said to my mom before I got there that it was "the best day of his whole life". So cute!
 I was able to spend three absolutely incredible weeks with my family in Autlan. It was great to be able to spend quality time with my family again. I had missed them so much! We got to spend lots of time just joking around, watching movies, etc. It was great! I don't know what I would do without them!
The night after I arrived to Autlan, Morgan had a gymnastics performance in the center of town. It was so fun to watch her do her routine!
We had lots of Christmas parties the first week I was there, where I got to eat lots of authentic Mexican food. I had missed that a lot as well!
The first week in January, we took a family vacation to the beach, which was a blast! We hung out at the pool all weekend, went and saw Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, played games, and enjoyed soaking up the warm, Mexico sun.
 I was also blessed with being able to be reunited with my friends down in Autlan, and get to spend some time catching up with them as well. I spent a lot of time with the Silva family, who has become a special family to my family's hearts in Autlan. Rosa, Chavo, and Vicente Silva are three of my best friends in Autlan. Seeing how Chavo and Rosa have been growing closer in their walk with Christ since I left in August, was so encouraging!
I got to spend an afternoon at the Migrant Worker camp, playing with the kids, whom I had missed immensely! I got to see Justiano, a little boy who lives at the camp, and stole my heart this summer. He is so adorable, and I had missed him so much! I got the best hug and smile ever from him! If I could, I would adopt that him in a heartbeat. But for now, praying for him each day and enjoy the times I do get to go and visit him will do. :)
Also seeing Barbara, Josselyn, the Clark family, Isai, and so many more, was just amazing. I am so thankful and so blessed that God provided the way for me to spend my Christmas break in a country that is so special to me, with people that are very special to me as well.
I'm so thankful for all my family did for me to be there as well. I love you guys!!!
 College Christmas break number one- SUCCESS!!
But now second semester has begun. Which means homework loads, professors in bow ties, pop quizzes, and the crazy life of a college student is in full swing!!

For Unto Us a Child is Born....

Luke 2: The Birth of Jesus

¹ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 ⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 ¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 ²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

This Christmas, I have been blessed beyond what I could have ever asked for, and given the beautiful gift of being able to celebrate the birth of my Savior with my family here in Autlan. 

 After my first semester in college, and all the changed that I've experienced in the past few months, it is so great to be able to come back to my home here in Mexico and relax. I have missed being with my family very, very much over that past few months, and it is so great to be able to spend good, quality time with them! 

 Christian, now almost 7 years old (I can't believe that!) said to my mom when they were going to pick me up at the airport on Tuesday, that it was "the greatest day of his whole life". How adorable is that?! 

Seeing my friends again, being with family, and being able to relax and enjoy not being cold here in Autlan, is the best Christmas present I could have asked for this year. 

 Since the night after I arrived to Autlan, we've had Posada (Christmas party) after Posada! It's been a blast, and I absolutely LOVE how the Hispanic culture celebrates Christmas here. 

Downtown, the entire center is filled with vendors, surrounded by the nativity scene that lights up the entire garden. Each night there are different performances, and the day after I got here, I got to watch Morgan perform her gymnastic routine there!

 This morning, as we all woke up and made our way down stairs to see what Santa had brought us, the faces of Christian, Morgan and Dane were priceless as they opened each surprise. 

 And of course, a Christmas season can't go by with out the family sitting down to watch Elf, a Christmas classic in our family. 

 Even though all these fun little things we were able to enjoy and memories created that we will cherish for the years to come, through out the day I couldn't help but having my mind constantly being brought back to the words above, found in Luke chapter 2. To think that I'm given all these great memories, parties etc. when really, just the opportunity to celebrate the gift of Christ's coming is waaaayyy more than enough! Really, I don't deserve in the slightest to even be given the gift of God's son, so to be able to celebrate it is the biggest honor and blessing alone! 

Thinking about how amazing this Christmas season has been already, I am placed, once again, speechless at the feet of my Savior, giving Him thanks, honor, praise and glory as I once again am the recipient of more than I could ever ask for, let alone deserve. 


Thank you, my dear Jesus, for sending your Son to earth as a gift to me. Thank you for the beautiful story in Luke 2 that tells us of how you did this wonderful thing for those that you love. 
 Thank you, God for the countless blessings you've given me this Christmas. Thank you for my family and their ministry here in Mexico. Thank you for allowing me to be here with them at this time. 
 God I ask that you would continue to show the world how marvelous you are, and how great your blessings are on this earth, for your people. 
I love you, Jesus, and thank you again, for your precious son. 
In your name, Amen.

Giving Thanks

I love taking this time away from school to spend with family, rest, and reflect on how thankful I am for so many things in my life.

 I wanted to share with you a few things I'm thankful for:

• snow, the beauty of God's creation that constantly surrounds me.
• family and the joy they bring in to my life
• hot cocoa, warm blankets, relaxing movies
• The Bible, the beauty in this precious book and each word written in it special for me. 
• Mexico, the specialness the country and the people there have in my heart
• naps
• children; how cute they are, and the constant joy they bring to my life as I see the happiness that constantly shines through them
• sunsets
• Corban and the opportunity God has given me to study there as it helps me become the person God wants me to be
• laughter
• dreams, God giving us them, and the ability and desire to strive towards them
• my amazing friends...
• the passion to write
• the God-given strength to persevere and find joy when life seems most difficult.
• my little red car
• intramural sports teams
• God providing for my every need, especially since coming back to the US to start college...I am so blessed!
• music and it's inspiration
• photographs
• Bethany Baptist Church
• the ability to play the piano
• the oh-so-many forms of communication...to talk with my family whom live far away. =) 
• the moments that hold you speechless in wonder of the incredible works of my Savior.

......I could go on and on with the thousands of things I have to be thankful for every day. What are you thankful for? Think about that as you go about your daily life tomorrow.

Simplicity....One of God's favorite ways to work in our lives and help us see and admire who He is!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 

Almost There!

It's that time of the school year where homework is incredible overwhelming, and has reached it's peak. Exams are hitting you right and left, and you don't even know what you've studied for, and how much you remember anymore. You just know your brain can't handle much more. It's rainy every day, and you must wear your winter jacket, that you have grown to accept that it won't match with what your wearing half the time, but it keeps you warm and dry, so it doesn't even matter.

At this point in the semester, there's one thing that motivates you to keep pushing though. It's so close, you can almost smell the Turkey on the table, with the pumpkin pie in the oven for

dessert. Mmmm!! Bring out the Christmas music, Almond Roca, and apple spice candles, cause Thanksgiving break is almost here!

This wonderful five day break, is what keeps us overwhelmed college students determined to keep studying even when we think our brains can't obtain one more sentence of information. College students are probably one of the most thankful group of people on Thanksgiving. Because it means that the peak of the semester is over, and we don't have to stress out too much until finals. We get to enjoy the peaceful five day weekend of fall. Hanging out with our family, relaxing and catching up on all of our TV shows that we've become behind on over the past few weeks, and be able to take time to be thankful!

However, I can't escape from reality for now. Because as I sit on my floor in my bedroom writing this, I look down and am surrounded by notebooks, text books and flash cards, which remind me that I must keep studying for my test.

House Sitting with the Bestie

This week, my friend Hannah and I are house sitting for some close friends of ours, The Cornish family. Mr. Cornish is on a missions trip in Haiti, Mrs. C is in Ethiopia, and their three kids, Emily, Jack, and Ben are all off at college. They needed someone to take care of their cute dog, Cuddles, so Mr. C called Hannah and I! We've been there for a week now, and will leave on Saturday. It has been a fun week, hanging out and being "responsible adults" of the house.

Hans and I have been super close for a long time, but we just hadn't had very much time to "catch up on life" together since I got back in August and school started. This week has DEFINITELY fixed that. It has been so amazing! We've been able to spend lots of time together, hear about everything that is going on in each others lives. It has been incredible! Han

nah and I are so much alike, and we can relate so well with things that are going on. Love it! Love her! We've stayed up waaaayyyy too late a few nights, and even missed a few classes because of it. Oops!

Cuddles is super cute and fun to take care of, but she definitely has her stupid moments. It's been a great week though, and definitely a blessing to have some good, quality bestie time with Hannah. I love you chica!!