Christmas Recap

The last few days have felt like a whirlwind.

Josh and I both worked half days on Christmas Eve. We went to a church service in the afternoon and then headed over to my grandma's house to celebrate Christmas Eve with my mom's family. Spending Christmas Eve at my grandparents's house has always been our tradition. There have only been a couple of years that we haven't been there. After that, we went to Josh's grandparents's house and spent time with his mom's family.

The next morning, we got up early and went to see my niece receive a visit from Santa Claus. She was pretty scared of him at first. It took her awhile to warm up and apparently she figured out that he was really Papa. After that, we went over to my parents's house for our traditional breakfast. We watched the Disney Christmas Parade over there as well.

She was fine opening Santa's gifts...as long as she was far away from him.

 My hubby and my brother-in-law. This is a traditional picture for them. Putting their stockings on their feet after they empty them.

After that, we headed over to Josh's parents's house. We had Christmas dinner over there and spent time with some of his dad's family.  And the last thing we did that evening was our tradition of going to see a movie with our friends. We saw Saving Mr. Banks and loved it!

The girls after the movie

The next morning, we woke up bright and early and headed out with his family for a trip to Disneyland! His brother that lives out of state wanted to take his girls there after Christmas, so all of us here went to meet them there. We had a family dinner in the evening on Thursday and then walked around Downtown Disney.

All of my nieces together again!

The following morning, Josh and I woke up very early and headed over to Disneyland to get in line to get into the park. We ended up being there before opening and after closing...about 19 hours! The park was very busy and full of people most of the day. I had never seen it that busy before. The lines were crazy for some of the rides. Even trying to get food was a pain. But, it was so much fun to spend the day with his family and to see my nieces have an amazing time in Disneyland.

I had to start the day with a coffee. It was really cold!

The babies didn't like the Haunted Mansion very much

In front of the giant Christmas tree on Main Street 

 On the tea cups with our oldest niece

 The whole family

 I love the snow on Sleeping Beauty Castle

 We got our traditional picture in at the end of the day...way after midnight

The next day, we had lunch with everyone at the Rainforest Cafe and then headed home. It was hard to say goodbye but I am so thankful we were able to spend the time together that we had. I just wish we would have gotten more sleep!

So even though Christmas was over a few days ago, it doesn't quite feel over to me yet. Disneyland was still decorated for Christmas, so everything there was extra magical. We just took down our tree and decorations today because we didn't have time to take anything down before we left. So for a girl that loves Christmas as much as I do, this has definitely been a great week.

I can't believe tomorrow is the last day of 2013! I know I've already shared some of my thoughts on the year but I do have more to share. That will have to come later. Until then, have a blessed and safe Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday.

Every year, I'm amazed at the magic and joy it brings. Even when life is crazy and hectic and busy, it's still beautiful.

This year has been one of the best so far. I got my Christmas shopping and wrapping done early so I could just relax and not worry so much. I've watched almost all of my favorite Christmas movies, listened to almost all of my favorite Christmas songs, and I finally baked for my neighbors!

But most of all, I've been enjoying reading the parts of Scripture that tell the story of Jesus's arrival (though technically, the whole Bible is that story...whether His first or second coming). I've also gotten to spend some wonderful time with loved ones and I've had some amazing conversations. I am so thankful for this time of year, because it has this special way of bringing people together in incredible ways.

I know Christmas isn't always a happy time for everyone...and I've definitely had my sad moments as well. I'm just trying to focus on the good things and not worry about the bad stuff.

(I love the signs they included here)

We got to do something I've always wanted to do this past weekend: visit a Christmas Tree Lane. I know there are many of them in cities across the country, but I had never experienced one before. It was incredible, the time that people put into decorating their yards and houses. I loved every single second of our drive.

As you are preparing and celebrating and enjoying your own magical moments this time of year, I hope you will remember to show the ones you love how much you care. I hope you will take the time to count your blessings. I hope you will cherish all the precious moments you encounter. Because Christmas is all about God coming to earth, to save a fallen world...and it's important to seize the moments we are given to shine His light to those in our lives.

Have a blessed and very Merry Christmas.

This Year

I've been doing a lot of reflecting lately on this past year.

It is really hard for me to believe that many of this year's events actually happened this year. For some reason, this year has felt long...in good and bad ways.

The next two weeks are going to be extremely busy for me, so I'm trying to take some time this week, during the few spare hours that I have here and there, to just sit in reflection of all the things I've experienced and learned this year.

January has always been one of my favorite months. When I was little, I looked forward to it because of my birthday. Now, I love it because sometimes Christmas can linger a little into it and that always makes my heart happy. I also just like the idea of a fresh start, empty calendar pages, and anticipation of what the year will bring.

This past January was a good one. We received some really happy news and I got to have the perfect birthday celebrations. I spent my actual birthday sick, but the weekend before was a blast.

February is also a favorite of mine. We always have a lot of birthdays to celebrate that month and our anniversary is that month. And for the past few years, February also means our anniversary trip to Disneyland. We celebrated our fifth anniversary this year, so we decided to extend our trip a little and turn it into a few trips by getting annual passes. I also got to be in the room as my bestie gave birth. Definitely one of the biggest highlights of my whole year...my whole life, in fact.

In March, we took a fun trip with Josh's family to celebrate his mom's birthday. Our goddaughter shares the same birthday, so we were able to go to her birthday party on the same weekend. It was just such a fun time. We also got to attend a couple of fun Easter celebrations in March and I got to surprise one of my best friends for her birthday.

April had its ups and downs. We got to celebrate my sister's birthday with her and I had some really fun hang outs with friends. March and April were also the months that I really started eating better and changing my lifestyle. Our senior pastor also retired from our church. And April also brought some sad news and a lot of really hard moments that continued for a few months.

May had a lot of fun moments. We took a secret trip and went to a couple of birthday celebrations. I started undergoing tests for my neck and back issues. The Office ended, which was sad, but we were able to watch it with friends, so that was fun. And my oldest niece turned 6!

June had two fun beach trips! One was camping with Josh's family and the other was a fun weekend away with friends. We also got to go to the wedding of some of our good friends. It was a very busy month but it was full of a lot of sweet memories.

July also brought two beach trips! The first was a weekend away with our marrieds group at a cabin in the mountains. It was quite warm, as it was 4th of July weekend, so we spent a lot of time out on the water. The second was our church's annual worship and baptisms on the beach. It was so awesome to hear so many wonderful testimonies and to see so many people get baptized. We also went to the engagement party of a couple whose relationship we got to watch develop and blossom over a couple of months. She is a missionary and he is hoping to join her on the mission field soon. We can't wait to celebrate with them on the day they get married.

In August, my hubby went on a weekend trip to see his favorite band that recently got back together and started making music again. While he was gone, I went on a little getaway with some of my girlfriends. It was really fun. We also surprised one of my friends with an early breakfast on the morning of her birthday.

September had big ups and downs. We started off the month with a trip to Disneyland. It was pretty warm while we were there but we had so much fun. I also got to watch my brother-in-law and sister-in-law get baptized. It was so incredible to see and be a part of. My niece turned 2 and we got to have two fun celebrations with her. I also got to celebrate two of my friends's birthdays who happen to only be a couple of days apart. And my heart broke and ripped in half as something devastating happened to my family. It still hurts every time I think about it, but I know that God has done and will continue to do amazing things through this situation. Maybe someday I will share it on here.

In October, we said goodbye to a loved one and to another pastor. We had a going away service and some of our friends that have moved away were able to come and be a part of it. We also got to celebrate a sweet friend's birthday. We went to a fun Halloween party and went trick or treating with some of our sweet friends and their kiddos.

November was very full and busy. We got to celebrate with one of my sweet friends for her birthday. I went to an essential oils class and started using one that has helped immensely with my pain. We went to a wedding for two people that Josh and I have known since our youth days and I got to help surprise a friend for her birthday. I saw Catching Fire with some great friends and we went out for sushi with our worship team. I also threw Josh a Murder Mystery Party for his birthday. We did a friends Thanksgiving dinner with some of our good friends. We spent Thanksgiving with some of the people we love most and then went to our favorite apple/Christmas tree farm the next day. And my youngest niece turned 2!

This month, we did a friends Christmas dinner with some of our friends where the girls decorated cookies and we made gingerbread houses. I had a Christmas themed favorite things party. I went to a pottery painting place with my friend. It's been a yearly tradition for us the last three years. We also went to a white elephant party and saw The Hobbit with a group of friends. We have a lot of fun Christmas celebrations this week and next week, as well as a couple of family vacations. It's going to be a full couple of weeks but I am really excited about them.

As far as what I've learned this year, I've learned more about what it means to be a real friend. Not only has this year been hard on my family, it's been hard on the families of a lot of my friends. I have learned so much more about what it means to walk alongside someone and to do life together. I've always considered many of my friends like family but that term has taken on a whole new meaning this year. I can't imagine life without these amazing people.

I've also learned more about trusting God and trusting He will turn even the worst of situations into something good. In many of the situations I've walked through or walked alongside of this year, I've seen glimpses of that good, and I can't wait to see all that comes from them. It's the reason why I wanted Romans 8:28 to be the verse on our Christmas cards this year. Because it is so very true.

I'm also learning a lot more about contentment. I feel like God is constantly teaching me more about this. I'm learning more and more that contentment can't be found outside of God. I can be happy with where my life is and the things I'm doing, but true contentment is only found in Him.

This year has been full of changes, good and bad. And while I usually get this anxious feeling about change approaching, I am somehow never quite prepared when I'm actually faced with it. I think that's where trusting in God and depending on Him comes in more. If I could be prepared for everything on my own, I wouldn't need Him.

I know 2014 is going to be different, in good and bad ways. I know it's going to bring its share of hardships and sweet memories. And I know my heart will burst with joy and sadness...but I'm excited for all of it. I've learned a lot about our trials and tribulations shaping us and causing us to depend more on God, and because of that, I'm learning to open my eyes more to see what God wants me to learn through them.

So while 2013 isn't quite over, I want to take these next two weeks and just be. I am sure I will do some more reflecting, but I want to enjoy each moment that's left of this year.

Priorities

One of the biggest lessons I've had to learn in my adult life is that the things that matter most to you, you have to make time for.

I think it's really easy in the midst of being busy and of having a lot of things on our daily plates to use busyness as an excuse as to why we don't have time for certain things. I know I am extremely guilty of this myself. I have definitely told people how busy my life is, almost as the reason why I can't make time for them. It's like telling someone, you aren't important enough for me to squeeze you into my schedule.

And while sometimes my life is legitimately that busy to where I can't find time for anything extra...most of the time? I have an hour or two somewhere in two weeks' time that I can fit in a coffee date.

I've been very convicted lately to not glamorize being busy and to not use it as my excuse as to why I don't do certain things or spend time with certain people. If someone or something is important to me, I need to make those things feel important.

I know we all go through seasons in life where being around people is hard. I went through a time just a few months ago where I could not be in large groups. I was dealing with something very heavy and the thought of more than one person coming up to me and asking me about it put me over the edge. I didn't even want to go to church, but I did...I would just get there right as the service was starting and would leave as soon as it was over. Thankfully, that season only lasted a few weeks. I know people that have struggled with some kind of depression that have pushed people away as well. It's sometimes hard to be around other people when your heart and your mind is heavy. And I totally understand that.

So I'm not really talking about those situations or seasons in our lives. I'm talking about our normal day-to-day when we choose to make time for some things or some people, but don't for other things or other people.

I am guilty of this with friends, with reading my Bible, with prioritizing my life in general. Some days? I would much rather spend a day off reading or watching my favorite TV shows and sleeping in. And while it is good and necessary to take time to rest, I have to remind myself that life isn't all about me. I need to be reaching out to other people and listening to their hearts and what's going on in their lives. I have to put my selfishness and my personal desires aside and I have to look to the interests of others.

And when it comes to reading my Bible and spending time with God? That should be far more important to me than watching TV.

I know that friendships have their seasons and I know that I am naturally drawn to some people more than others. But unless there is a legitimate reason as to why I need to stop spending time with someone, I should make all of my friends a priority in my life. I may see some more than others because of different life events or things I'm a part of, but I don't want anyone to feel left out or like I don't care about them.

There have been a lot of changes this year as far as church goes. Some people have been called other places and new people have come in. Just because I don't see someone a couple times a week anymore at church shouldn't mean that I don't try to connect with them and that I stop caring about them. Some of my dearest friends don't live in the same city, state or even country that I do, and those friendships require work to keep them going. If I only spend time with the people I see at church or other things I'm involved in, I'm not really being a good friend. We have to make time for the things and people that are important to us. Because if we don't? Maybe they really aren't as important to us as we think they are.

It's almost like that whole "you are what you eat" thing. If I claim to be someone's friend or if I claim to love reading my Bible, I better be showing my appreciation and love for those things by the way I live my life.

It's easy to be acquaintances with someone, but it's a whole lot harder to dive in their lives and to share the nitty gritty personal stuff.

So in the midst of this crazy busy season, I'm taking some time to evaluate my priorities.

Instagram

I just wanted to write a quick post to share that I opened up a public Instagram account today.

I've been wanting to for a few months now, but I just hadn't taken the time to do it. I'm hoping to use that space to post "mini-blogs" and share pieces of my life. I have been following some amazingly encouraging people on Instagram this past year and I hope to be able to use this account to encourage others as well.

If you'd like to follow me, my username is findingrefuge.

Traditions

Thanksgiving was such a wonderful day.

I spent the morning baking goodies and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

We got to spend the rest of the day surrounded by some of the people we love. Our amazing landlords happen to be my sister's in-laws and they included us in their family dinner this year. It was so wonderful being able to share a meal with them.

We then headed over to Josh's brother's house for a big gathering. We prepared and ate and laughed. It was a wonderful time.

After that, we headed over to my mom and dad's to watch Home Alone. I remember watching it every year when I was growing up on Thanksgiving at my grandma's house. I associate it with Thanksgiving because of that and I have to watch it on Thanksgiving every year.

The next day, we continued with our tradition of going to get a Christmas tree with Josh's brother and his family. We usually just get our tree somewhere local, but we like going with them and spending time with them up there. It's one of my favorite traditions and a day that we all look forward to.

Just a girl and her uncle

 Our whole group

And one of our personal favorite traditions is decorating the house and getting our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving.

 Our tree! We each have ornaments that we had before we got married and then we have a few we have gotten since then. I love that it's an eclectic mix of handmade and store bought ornaments. 

Some of our other Christmas decorations

We also went to see Frozen, which was really good, and finished our night by watching The Hobbit (the extended edition).

It was a wonderful couple of days and I am so very thankful that I was able to spend them with some of the people I love.