to catch you up...

SO much has happened since my last post! So many thanks, so many memories made.
I was in the states for 4 weeks for the holidays and it was so refreshing and fun to be with my family and friends! Here are some highlights...

sweet times with my best gal pal, Nicole :)

Making traditional Christmas cookies with my sisters, Colin and Ava!

Quality time with my niece, Ava...cutest little thing in the world!

Family time during the holidays. It was so sweet to all be together, I have really missed them!

Double date with my sisters (minus Ryan :( )

Day in College Station, Andres' hometown. We saw the infamous Santa's Wonderland! So fun! We then spent the New Year's weekend in Dallas with his parents and friends. Sorry I don't have pictures to prove it, sadly!

Wrapping up 2011 I recorded my "1,000th gift" in my journal I started in April...

Dec. 25th: #1000. "Love in the Christ child to enter this dirty world to save my soul."

 I am continuing to record gifts and hope to write 1,000 more this year. Naming gratitude gifts has  brought fresh joy and perspective to my life, why stop at 1,000!?

For me, 2011 was about learning the life style of gratitude. My 1,000th gift was fitting to summarize the year because I have never reflected on and experienced the Gospel more than I did in the latter half of 2011. I was faced with many challenging circumstances and God taught me the path to joy is thankfulness. I began the year as a fresh graduate and started working full time in an office planning events, took a friendship to the next level with Andres, then traveled to Peru, quit my job and moved to Costa Rica, learned a lot of Spanish while doing full-time ministry. 2011 was full of HUGE changes and unexpected journeys.  

Thanks be to God for the joys, challenges and growing pains.

As I embark on a new year, I foresee many more joys, challenges, changes and growing pains ahead. I'm back in Costa Rica for another 5 months, which is super exciting! There is so much ahead of us, and I'm excited to share the journey with you.

I arrived a week ago and the day after Sydney and I left for Vida Joven Camp to serve on work crew for 4 days. It was SUCH an adventure! To see Young Life camp done in another country and all in Spanish was amazing. Also, it was a perfect way to dive back into the culture because Sydney and I were the only 2 gringas there! (gringa means white girl in Spanish) Sydney did an excellent job recaping the weekend on her blog, so I will just direct you there if you'd like to read about some fun details...Sydney's Blog

Equipo de Trabajo: Campo de Nuevos 2012