...flashback...(massive adventure/partying update in photos)

Lets start here.

During Christmas break I got together with all these lovely gals. 

We reminisced, giggled, caught up, laughed, and ICE SKATED, like pros I might add. 

After some good warming up, we decided it was time to pull out our stunts!

It didn't end well.

We're awesome.

Next stop, New Years Eve.

Ellie and I got our shop on.

We got some sweet deals, like always.

We even ate on a budget! and I just love corn dogs.

The partying didn't end with corn dogs... 

Us (yelling outside): HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Neighbor: YOU'RE 3 MINUTES LATE.

Us: whatever as we continued to dance it up.

Janessa and Chloe got pretty close.

And the lovely Tristen put a hair wrap in for me

sadly, it fell out this week.  :( 

Oh, I went blonde.

And Chloe went brown.

AND THEN, Cassie called us with news... she got ENGAGED!!

So, of course we had to go see her.
We all had different reactions to it...

"AHH, I"M ENGAGED" dancing occurred.

Ellie and I had New years toasts!

oh, working at 6am new years morning was not the funnest thing. 

ENGAGEMENT PARTY!

FOOD and the HOT TUB were wonderful.

Did our nails and watched vampire diaries. In my opinion, they looked great.

This is big news: I am now sporting a rockin' pony tail!! 

sure I have a million bobby pins in but a pony tail is a pony tail, right?

Hot pool adventure!

What started as a big group ended up only being me and Sam.

and we loved it.

We explored a ghost town and got frozen feet.

saw wildlife.

Hike to gold bug hot springs on a beautiful sunny day and soaked.

then froze hiking back all wet.

but not really.

Then we got stuck in Leadore with no gas... gas station was closed at 6. They still have pumps without a credit card machine?? yes, yes they do. Thanks Aunt Susan and Uncle Steve for saving us!!

Life is good.

Notes to self...

1. Try not to fall asleep in primary ever again. responsible teacher right here.
2. Keep going on dates with 90 year olds.

3. Don't fall asleep for 2 1/2 hours when it is 5 PM.

4. Go ice fishing this winter.

5. Manage time better.

6. Remember this:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Thanks Mark Twain.

7.  You really are a good shopper. (2 dresses, skirt, tank, 2 belts, and 4 shirts. all for $40)

8. Get more sleep. 5 hours a night is (obviously) not cutting it.

9. Make injera this weekend.

10. Don't blog so much about your sleeping habits and instead get the blog caught up or at least do your homework.

A Uncle, Aunt, and Cousins.

On a cold windy day,

besides doing awesome on a chemistry test, what could be better?

The necessities for studying!

To my faithful blog readers (aka: Mom) sorry I've been so MIA. 

Life can get so busy.(school, work, family, and of course adventures.)

I have oodles to tell you about. 

and I will, just not now.

now I will share my secrets to successful (hopefully) study sessions...

I may or may not be sharing these simply because I'm sick of studying.

oh well.

First: The trusty lucky sham rock head band that is sure to make everything stick in your brain!

 Second: Purple spandex and Dad's church socks. Comfort is a must.

 Third: A great big stack of note cards, a pencil with a good eraser, and calculator (depending on the subject of course)

 Fourth: and probably my favorite... Tea! Licorice flavor is WAY better then it sounds. Keeps your insides all warm and happy.

 Fifth: Of course, good tunes. Joshua Radin is always an excellent choice.

Now, lets pray I can pass this chemistry test...

This is what Ellie looks like when I dress her from MY closet....

Amazing Right?

I'm usually not a big fan of winter shoots but I've done several lately for people and i'm loving it.

maybe it's the fact that there is hardly any snow.

Tis the season for family photos!

All 19 of us together!

Mother&Father

Carlos&Karen&Joshua&Jonas&Charlotte

Kayla May

Wesley&Alyssa&Mubarek&Mesafinet&Damitu&Tofic&Gutama&Everett

Lydia&Phillip

Kate&Tramp

I really like the silly one. I want it printed big...still trying to convince the Mother.

Love my family.

This one time I got a text that made my whole day...

Losing my new bight red lip stick 

and 

a bunch of photo files from Ethiopia did NOT make my day.

but somehow, life is still good.

Two in One.

Over the last week I've been writing "The final day in Ethiopia" post. Needless to say, it hasn't been that easy to sum up so I've just kind of put it off. Today I thought I would sit down and write a Christmas post instead. Being in Ethiopia I missed out on all of the pre-celebrations and many traditions to Christmas. It wasn't until I landed in Amsterdam and saw an airport covered in Christmas decor and trees that it really hit me that it was almost Christmas and that I was going home. When I got home I felt like I had missed out on so much. How could I get in the holiday spirit if I didn't do all the partying before hand? And then I started reading the start of my "Last day in Ethiopia" post....

My last day in Ethiopia was hard. I knew the day would come from the beginning, counted down the days, watched the days become smaller and smaller and yet the final day was still painful to face. After all, I wasn't just leaving Ethiopia but people I deeply love. People who made a difference to me. When I walked away from the hospital and Tarikua (A beautiful disabled baby girl who was abandoned at the hospital and was placed in a government orphanage. She stole my heart.) for the last time my heart physically hurt and tears ran down my cheeks. But that wasn't the end. Then there was Jason, his boys, Mesgana, my Ethiopian family, and close friends. All people I love. By the time I got to the airport that night, I was sure my heart would burst. In fact, after I gave my last hugs at the airport, when I turned with my bags to check in, I couldn't even turn back around to give a final wave, it just hurt too bad.

I am incredibly thankful I returned to Ethiopia. I am thankful I was trusted and privileged to interact with the beautiful children at Mother Teresa's hospital. I am thankful for the love and simple joys of life the children showed me. I am thankful for Jason and his example of love and compassion. I am thankful for the boys of Yehiwot Raey and their inspiring strength. I am thankful for excited, sweet, and obnoxious strangers who would put a smile on my face just by saying hi to me. I am thankful for my Ethiopian family who truly made me part of their family and gave me more love then I deserve. I am thankful for dreams and the wonderful adventures and lessons they bring. I am thankful for God and his endless love and beautiful people, all across the world.

As I read through it, even though it wasn't finished, feelings and memories came flooding back to my heart and mind. And I realized, I may not be in the holiday spirit but now more then ever before I feel closer to Christ. Serving in Ethiopia taught me, strengthened me, and blessed me to give and receive of love. And that is what Christ's life was all about. In the spirit of Christmas, let us all celebrate and remember to give of love.

"Glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace, goodwill towards men."

Melkem Gena! (Merry Christmas in Amharic)

the weather has changed.

DRASTICALLY.

I'm freezing.

I have to wear a scarf and coat almost all of the time.

sometimes even in the house.

It's a good thing I have a lot of cute scarves from Ethiopia to keep me warm all winter.

a beautiful arrangement of photos that make me ridiculously happy.

The title is very true.

I took these photos the first time I went to Ethiopia.

my heart melts a little whenever I look at them.

I entered these bad boys into the State fair.

They all did extremely well.

And I received amazing compliments from the judge (Who happened to be Ryan Muirhead. Who happens to be one of the most amazing photographers. People, I have emails from him to prove it).

Sorry for the bragging but I'm pretty proud of them.

Anyway, They've been sitting in a pile in my room for a while.

way over due to be hung up

so... waaaaLA

Now I get to see Ethiopia everyday!

Such beautiful people.

I'm considering selling some of my prints. If you're interested, let me know.

and here are a few random photos of life being home...

After my first hot shower! It might have lasted a full 30 minutes and I loved each second of it.

This is jet lag people. I can't sleep at night here.

Hope you're having a good day or night, whichever it may be.

What have you seen today?

This week marks the last full week I have in Ethiopia. I've noticed I've been paying attention to everything more closely. I've been more engaged instead of passive to things and others around me. Looking into peoples eyes, accepting more slobbery kisses, trying to memorize details and feelings as I walk the streets. My senses and heart seem to be extra tuned in. Experiencing the present moment is beautiful. I've been able to do more then just look around me but see instead. See the love a street women had for her small son as they sit and play with one another along the side of a busy rode. See ambitions and hopes as kids scattered away from school dressed in uniforms. See and feel pure love as young girls walked at my side offering to share their meager bread in outstretched hands. This week I've seen and been touch by the hearts around me. It makes me want to be better and give more. It has reminded me how amazing people are and that the human race is more alike than different. We may live in various environments, speak different languages and work assorted professions, but at our core, we are all the same. It does not matter whether we are wealthy or poor, old or young, ethnic or Caucasian. All of us just want to be loved, appreciated and heard. We all want to have family and friends to support us, good health, and laughter to enrich our lives. We all are sons and daughters of God. We all have value and goodness to offer. Bono once said, “Where you live shouldn't determine IF you live.” I've decided seeing is an important part of living. So as you read this think, what have you seen today? What can you see today?