Happy New Year! Well, technically it's New Year's Eve. But we are so very close to 2017. Of course, leave it to me to squeeze in one last post on the last day of the year. You know I had to though, ha!
First and foremost, I would like to apologize to all of you for not being on the ball and giving you more posts about my year. Life caught up to me this year and I am just plain worn out. I know, I know...I have said this to you way too many times before. But, I did want to fill you in on what's been happening lately. I'll try to list it all down below.
*I am now 60 hours into my practicum teaching hours of my certificate. (Woohoo! Only 60 more to go.)
*Helping teach ESL classes two nights a week
*December 17th, we performed our show at church called, 'The Prodigal Christmas'. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work. My legs still hurt from running in those heels!
*Rehearsal, Rehearsal, Rehearsal for the show. We had been working on the show for about 5 months.
*Memorizing my lines and the songs for the show
*Me-working full-time. Should I say anything else? I don't think so.
*Trying to spend time with my boyfriend. It's hard when there is a 14 hour time difference between us. (Wait, what? Boyfriend! Yes, ladies and gentlemen I did say boyfriend. Hmmm...I feel like questions are coming to me about this. I will give you answers soon.)
Whew, that was a lot of stuff! And somewhere in the midst of all of this I did eat and sleep. It all seems like a dream but it happened. Yet, I must say...What an amazing year it has been. Trust me, it has definitely been a year of surprises and challenges. I can't say that it has been easy. There were days when I thought I wouldn't be able to get out of bed. I didn't know if I would have the strength to help another person who was being rude to me at my job. Or to even sit down and help students from different countries with their English. Still God seemed to always be there when I wanted to throw in the towel. He quickly reminded me that I had come to far to even think about doing that.
I also let go of some things this year. I let go of some baggage and some childhood dreams. I mourned the loss of some idols that I grew up watching and listening to when I was a child. (Prince, George Michael, Gene Wilder, Patty Duke, David Bowie, Carrie Fisher, Muhammad Ali and Maurice White of Earth Wind & Fire)
***I can remember listening to 'Purple Rain' for the first time and being moved to tears. Where would my brother be without listening to Gene Wilder sing, "If you want to view paradise simply look around and view it" from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory***
With everything that this year has brought to me, I can still be thankful. I am grateful for the good days and even the more crazy days. I realize that those crazy days pruned me for the upcoming year. And I am really looking forward for what is to come. Now, I don't know what your year looked like for you. Some days may have been sweet and there may have been some that were bitter for you. They were there to make you better not make you bitter. So, ask yourself this question...What I am going to do for the new year?
It's really up to you.
Well people, my time is up! I hope that your thoughts, your next steps and your next challenges are always centered around God. Have an awesome and fabulous New Year people!
More thoughts next year......
