A look at 2009

I've been looking over the last year, and I am realizing how blessed I am. When my mom asked me to write a paragraph for our family Christmas letter like I do every year, I thought back on my year and was actually pretty bitter. No big vacations, I didn't like my summer job, this last semester was hectic, and I have had a lot of friendship changes. But when thinking over the last year, I can be thankful for things that didn't happen. Only one person I know died this year, and although I was sad that I couldn't make the funeral, I can be thankful that he went peacefully. Also, in his death, his family found God. There have been many illnesses in my church family, and there were people that doctors said wouldn't make it through the night that are still alive today. God has blessed us with many miracles.

I love to travel, but other than a few trips down to Napa, I really didn't go anywhere. But then at the end of the year, I was blessed with some news. I am spending two months next summer in Germany. Two whole months! I am unbelievably excited, I have a great team, and I will be working with youth all summer. I have always want to spend an extended amount of time in another country, and I will now be able to do so.

As for my summer job, I just need to remind myself that I was blessed to have a job. I was blessed to be paid above minimum wage, and I was blessed to work with such great people. I went into Home Depot with my dad after church on Sunday, and I hadn't been in since I picked up my last paycheck. I doubted people would remember me, but the second I walked in the door I got three hugs from old co-workers. Even though I didn't enjoy the actual job I was doing, I had it pretty good for the job market that we have now. I was very blessed to have a job at all. Now I am working as a TA and getting paid to do things that I enjoy. I am the assistant of my Choir Director, and since I want to be a choir director, it is a wonderful experience for me. Since I won't be able to get a summer job, I am blessed to have a small, but steady income throughout the year to make up for what I will not be making this summer.

As for school, it's been difficult, but I pulled through with my 2 highest GPAs so far at Simpson. I'm proud of where I'm going, and although it keeps getting tougher, I am understanding things better and better.

Overall, God has blessed me this year. I have been through mountain top experiences with Him, but valleys have followed like they always do. Overall, I feel good about this last year, and hope that 2010 will be even better.