2011 in Review

Ive seen it done, where people give yearly reviews on here! So, thought I would give it a try! (sorry if its long, but it IS 12 months)

January

the gang!

Happy 2011!

I rang in the new year in a different country, with my younger brother and about 115 other senior youth and their leaders (about half of those, youth from my area) in Alexandria MN.  We got stormed in after our TF experienced days earlier.  Despite us all missing plans at home-we made the best of a cold snowy situation and had a blast! (gonna miss ringing in new year with those kids!

The rest of the month was jumping back into routine of youth and continuing to work. Also a girls weekend back in steinbach-celebrating and friend getting married and spending time with more friends! (always an adventure!)

Feburary:
Girl sleepover, Aces Hockey game, foudue evening with some youth girls and just spending time connecting and growing with people.  I cant really recall anything super special about this month.  Youth remained as did work. oh, sometime in this month (I think) our Africa team was finalized and meetings began? yah that sounds right!

Foundue night with the girls!

Aces games!

March:
Where to start-what a crazy emotional rollarcoster month!
Youth and work. March 23-there was an accident where a young boy lost his life and is still missed to this day.  It affected each and everyone of us and drew the high school and this town closer.  But wow, lots of hurting people and tons of questions.  I had my own for God too..lots of wresting with God this month because of thsi accident and Africa...

Pedicures with my roommate

some of the stuff we got ready to take down to Africa with us

I also spent two weeks this month-house sitting.  it is also during this time that I got sick-nothing serious-just enough to make me take a day off work. Yes our Africa team was finalized by this point and we were getting emails from our host.  Like I said above, lots of wrestling with God.  i wont go into detail-but the injustice of this world played heavily on my mind.  myself, being a person of practical need and action-couldnt (still can t somedays) figure out why a loving God-allows His people to go through things (this came from an email about a girl we would meet in Africa-a young girl that we got to witness a miracle through while we were there).  I wrestled hard with God.  God won hands down.

April
Still seeking answers-it was off to Africa I went with people I knew, but mostly just their names.  Praise God that quickly changed and as a team, we connected adn were able to support each other through the trip and after. I still cannot sum up Africa and the time in Zambia and with thsoe kids.  Out of all the trips/experiences I have been on-this one sticks out most.  Goin in-I remember telling a friend of mine that this trip would change me, how I was not sure, but I knew it would-and it did.  something inside of me 'clicked'. What I learned there, the people I met, the stories I heard, how I saw GOD move...I will NEVER forget.  This month was definatly a huge highlite for me this year!

the team!

some village kids

Two days after I got back, i could attend SBC grad and see friends I hadnt seen for quite a while which was another huge highlight!

May:
Counting down to summer started...back to work and finishing up the last few youths of the year! Still working at Supreme and still living on my own-OH my roommate at the time dropped the 'bomb shell' on me and said as of June 1, she was moving out and onward to the next thing..through me for a bit of a loop/slight panic and questions etc

June: Grad came and went and summer began! (if only) took time off to take Grad ceremonies-so proud of you all! Youth finished up (missed it as soon as it was done) and the leaves were coming out full!

July: 

crazy weather

fun times!

lots of pictures

Living on my own now-going good-different but good! Seeds of Hope dessert night-really special.  lots of summer pictures, camping with the family. Slow pitch games with youth.  Local town festival and queen crowning and soaking in the sun when I could! OH and NO overtime at work! strange, but also very nice!! I could actually enjoy my evenings.  LIfe was busy, I remember waiting for it to slow down-but it didnt.

August:

willow and I

starfield

charlie

Another busy month of camping with the family, hanging out with youth.  I took in other towns festivals with friends (lots of fun!), concerts at these festivals and a Children's Camp International Slow pitch tourny with a team of youth.  Although we sucked (score wise) each game- I am convinced our team had the most fun out there! so fun hanging out with the team and youth in general!  AND it was all for a great cause that is close to my heart as well!! We had a family gathering at my grandpa's old place-sometihng which we have not done as a family in a long time.  It was good-spent a lot of time with my camera and taking pictures.

September:

youth kick off!

what a month-many highs and lows.  A low would be-we had to put our dog down-long story- but it really hit me quite hard (see posts from that month).  I couldnt figure it out why?  Reverse culture shock from Africa? No I dont think so...that was too long ago-after lots of debating in my head, sermons in church, books I was reading, lots of prayer, scripture and talking with friends and family.  I realized it was intense spiritual warfare going on in my life. I had NEVER felt it like this before.   I didnt know what to do.  I even woke up one night feeling this intense neeed to just pray and read scripture (at 5 AM with work in a few hours) so I did...those 2.5 hours after of sleep-best sleepe ever-just this amazing sense of peace.  I realized that this whole incident-partially had to do with our dog and what was going on with that, but mainly it was because youth was starting again.  Our youth kick off for the year was sept 14...and it was that night that followed that i felt the attack.  satan knows how much I love hanging iwth youth and how my heart is totally in it so thats why he was attacking it.  It was an interesting month.  One that I needed and really opened my eyes.
As kids, we also took mom out for the day to the forks and places to celebrate her special day! (tho it was 2 days earlier technically! but a blast none the less!)

celebrating mom's 50th at the Forks

October:

Hanging out at SBC

Busy busy month! Bible studies, work, food drive, mall hunt, coffee times, Steinbach and YOUTH RETREAT at Camp Arnes! This youth retreat was a for sure highlight for me as I love especially connecting with youth outside of youth.  (wow I used the word 'youth' a lot!) but yes many late nights that weekend but it was so worth it! God is so good and its awesome seeing HIM move throughout the teens.  He also planted the idea of gettign a bi-weekly bible study group going with some girls, in my head and I began to pray about it and ended up approaching the girls on it during the retreat weekend.

Solo time with God at Camp Arnes

my cabin of girls-always an adventure!

the gang!

November:
Another busy month of working full time, various youth events.  Hanging out with a friend from Belize who I had not seen for a while.  Crafters weekend at the church. Aces game.  Baptism evening at our church (very proud of my youth who made that public commitment to Christ!).  At this point too, I have decided not to look for another roommate at this point as the freedom to come and go and be noisy etc is so worth it!   Life is going good.  God and I still doing well-tho always trying out how to have a constant good relationship with HIM. Oh also started Bible study with some grade 12's.  instead of going bi-weekly-they wanted weekly so that is awesome!!! Always a blast hanging out with them and learning and growing together!

Leah and I with our cake pops

Tia and I at the crafters weekend-she decorated cupcakes

set up for Christmas

baptism candidates

December:

dec 23-family Christmas

christmas party with the girls!

candlelight services

always good food!

And here we are-christmas eve day.   Busy month but so far too-it has been good! Just a few pictures thus far!

So a very merry Christmas! and have a safe, happy and healthy 2012!!!