Happy New Year!

Ok, I'm long overdue for a post! Here is a quick update of the last month!

Thomas' wedding was beautiful! The happy couple were on cloud 9 and the ceremony was very nice. It's crazy to think that my baby brother is now married! What happened to the days of my little brother running around in my high heels, getting into my stuff, picking on me...well, that didn't really ever stop. Thomas is now a man...a married man. If there had been enough time at the luncheon I was going to tell the story about when Thomas was little and how he would never obey me. In fact there were times when i swear he would do just the thing I asked him NOT to do. It got to be a serious problem for me and I complained and complained to my mom until she too finally recognized this. She asked Thomas one night why he didn't listen to me and he simply said "She talks too much"!...WHAT? I talk too much? ok, I admit, I was bossy and a very annoying older, and younger, sibling....but can you get away actually saying "she talks too much?" Well, what could my mom do but look at me and laugh? We both knew it was true. Emily...beware. Don't talk too much! :-)

Anyway, moving along...After the wedding I spent Christmas at older brother Bryce's house. What a fun Christmas it was! Christmas Eve we made goodie bags for the neighbors which the kids delivered. In the evening we all dressed in robes and put on our best shepherd attire. We sat on the family room floor and discussed, as shepherds what it must have been like to see an angel and a bright star and to be led to see the Christ child. We read scripture acted out our parts as shepherds and enjoyed a meal of shepherds pie. It was humble...just as it was the night of Christ's birth. I felt it a very appropriate celebration.

In the morning the kids opened a variety of gifts but I think the highlight was the new pool table for the kids, the canoe for Bryce and the TV for Lynnette (sister-in-law). We played a lot of pool that day! Unfortunately I came down with a cold and kept my tissue box very close!

Overall the trip home was wonderful! I returned with suitcases full of new sheets for my bed, a nice fluffy bath towel, peanut butter, microwave popcorn and taco seasoning! :-) If only I had enough space to pack a few friends and siblings! I returned to Bangkok with mixed emotions after having such a wonderful time but focused on how much I enjoy being here and the sadness quickly dissipated.

I spent New Year's Eve enjoying dinner with my old boss who is working out here and then meet up with some new friends playing games and just hanging out. At midnight we headed to the top level of the apartment complex where we were to enjoy the 360 degrees of fireworks at various places throughout the city. It was a great view! Afterwards we played a few more games and then decided to head home. At 2:30 AM the streets were packed with people and finding an available taxi was impossible! We ended up walking home since the sky train was no longer running... and, as usual, I wore very impractical shoes which i finally decided to take off half way home. Walking barefooted on the streets of Bangkok is not recommended...it's quite disgusting. But it was either amputating my feet after walking home in high heels or risking all manner of diseases by going barefoot. Luckily, I can report that I survived the experience without catching any weird foot diseases! phew!

I finally arrived home at 4 am and fell into bed (forgetting to wash my feet!!) not awaking until after 10 the next day. I ate breakfast and returned to bed to sleep the better part of the day. What a waste of a first day of the year!

Sunday was a much more productive day. I took time to consider what I had accomplished in 2009 and found that it had been a very fulfilling year. It was a very hard year but I had very few regrets. I reconnected with many old friends, enriched my friendships with current friends, tried new things, went outside my comfort zone, felt fulfilled and challenged professionally and in the end I achieved a life long dream...I sold off the majority of my possessions and moved overseas! After looking back over the accomplishments of 2009 I planned for 2010. I listed out my hopes for the new year and prepared mentally for the hard work that I will need to put into this new year. I know it's not going to be an easy year. I need to make new friends, learn a new language and culture, learn a new job and continue to challenge myself to grow and improve. Luckily I have an amazing support system of family and friends who are behind me, praying for my success. And, along with all the challenges that will define this next year I am super excited for all the amazing, wonderful fun stuff I have to look forward to! A trip to visit my sister in Korea in April , a trip to Mongolia in June and that's just scratching the surface! I wonder if there is a world record for the number of massages one has gotten in a years time. I think i'll consider breaking that record. :-) New friends, new experiences...wow! It's gunna be a GREAT year! 2010 is the year of Bangkok...I live in Bangkok!! SWEET!

I hope you've each taken the time to assess 2009 and plan for 2010. It's such a pleasure for me to look back and see how blessed I have been. I'm not sure why I'm so blessed but I hope I never forget to express my gratitude for all that I have.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year! Here's to 2010! Cheers!