The craziness that was 2013, and the craziness that will be 2014

2013 came and went like a whirlwind. It seems like I barely got used to writing 13, and now I have to adjust to 14. I can't believe it. So much happened and so much changed. But in the end, I wouldn't go back and replace any of it. Here's some of the most meaningful moments of 2013:

1) I had my last semester of college. This was heartbreaking. And terribly exciting. and terrifying. And lovely. And about 500 things/feelings all rolled into one. I worked so much (just under full time) at both of my lovely jobs (in admissions and at the library) and took mostly easy classes. It was the best semester yet.

2) I graduated college.

....With some of the best social workers I know! I'm honored to have had the experience of going through undergrad with these people.

3) I went on a cruise. And never have I ever been more relaxed than when I was on vacation with my best friends.
 
If you EVER get the chance to travel with your friends, DO IT.

4) I went to Guatemala. I was able to see this sweet face again:

And made life-long friends with the people I traveled with. Even though we got stuck in Miami for a day (bummer, right), we still had fun (however, we were getting kind of sick of each other... and we were really sunburned and barely had any clean laundry left...)!


5) The summer of 2013 was the first summer I wasn't able to be at camp all summer in over 5 years. And that was really hard. But I was able to go for a week, and some of staff training. And I had an incredible internship that made it okay. AND I MADE A PERFECT DOUGHBOY.


6) The fall of 2013 brought me my first job. While it hasn't been perfect, it's been something. I appreciate having the opportunity to create new connections, and gain the experience of working.

2013 was a pretty spectacular year. These things are just a few of the awesome experiences I've had, and I'm so excited to begin creating new ones in 2014.... So here it is, my New Years resolution for 2014:

In the year 2014, I will strive to surround myself with and create friendships that make me want to be a better person. I want to be encouraged by those around me, and hope to set this foundation so that I can be this for other people. After graduating, I feel like I need some more people in my life, and hopefully 2014 will bring that for me. 

My Grandmother's Story

My grandmother is an extremely inspiring person. She is beautiful, wonderful and thoughtful. She also has an incredible testimony. My grandma's family were all Jehovah's Witnesses. From a young age, this didn't sit well with my grandmother. She was always asking questions that weren't able to be answered by the people at her church or even her father. One day, when she went to services with her father, she stood up and asked a question. The person leading this study was not able to answer her question. She told her father that if they weren't able to answer her questions, she was not going to return.

Eventually, she had a friend who invited her to go with her to a church down the street, and she wanted so badly to go there. Unfortunately, her father wouldn't let her because she would have to cross the street by herself (she wasn't too old at the time). And so she problem solved. Like many of the women in my family, my grandmother is very stubborn. She says "I teased and teased for him to let me go to that church, and then I realized there was a church on the corner of our  street that I wouldn't have to cross the street to get to. So I teased and teased to go to that church." My grandma told me this weekend that she wasn't much older than sixth grade at this point. She went to that church for a very long time, all alone. I can't imagine keeping my faith alive within a family who doesn't believe what I believe, especially being that young. My grandma is inspiring.

It also amazes me that without this story, I wouldn't be. Without her faith, and her persistence, my incredible cousins, aunts, uncles, mom, family wouldn't be. She probably wouldn't have met my grandpa. So many things would be different. I guess for me, it just puts our decisions into perspective. If you believe something is right and true, stand up for it. Pursue it. Because you never know what it will effect. 

She is also really adorable and very VERY carefully hand-picks every card she sends!