Chinese New Year

For the past few years, I have gotten together with my friends in Annapolis for New Year's Eve. We always have a themed New Year's Eve party. So far the themes have been "Celebrity," "Black and White," and "Chinese New Year." It was fun to see how creative everyone was with their costumes this year. I am thankful for my friend Yubo who let me borrow one of her beautiful Chinese dresses!

Kerry (Ying Yang), Kesley, Ashley (Fortune Cookie), me, Kim, Tiffanie, and Heather

Ash

Ninja!

Basically my little sisters: Haley and Kylie

Kerry, Heather, and Tiffanie

Sumo Wrestler

Ash and I

Megan, Heather, Tiffanie, Ashley, and me

Kerry and I

Charlie was "China"

Courtney = Sushi

Heather and I...Happy New Year! I can hardly believe it's 2010!

Christmastime 2009

Here's a few shots with family and friends at Christmas. The past few years a fun tradition has started. After the Candle light service at my church on Christmas Eve, basically the whole congregation goes over to Ashley's house. I love spending time with my closest friends in Annapolis and with my grandma! I know that I am blessed with friends that I can call family :)

Ashley and I

Annapolis friends- Courtney, Ashley, Kerry, Heather, Kim, me, & Megan

My grandma and I

Meredyth's Visit to Annapolis for Thanksgiving

Meredyth came home with me to Annapolis over Thanksgiving. We had a great time and I had so much fun showing her around my home town! All of my friends in Clemson have heard all about Annapolis. It was nice to combine my "Clemson world" and my "Annapolis world." I am thankful for a friend like Meredyth!

Meredyth's first experience trying Thai food. We went to one of my favorite restaurants in Annapolis, Lemongrass.

Ashley showing off the Thanksgiving meal

With two of my best friends on Thanksgiving! I'm blessed!

My favorite meal all year!

Meredyth and I before we went black friday shopping at midnight...it was so much fun!

We had Maryland crab soup here....on the house! ;-)

See, Annapolis was the capitol of the United States!

Meredyth and I downtown Annapolis

The Statehouse

Meredyth trying her FRIST Maryland blue crab cake!

My wonderful grandma

Our "Wicked Witch of the West" faces

Easter Weekend!

I spent this weekend with Amber and I her family in Charlotte and had a great time! It's become kind of a tradition to go to her house for Easter. I went there my Freshman year and then I was able to go back this year!

We had some unexpected events happen, namely Amber's Dad getting appendicitus! His side started hurting him Saturday morning and so he went to the hospital. We ended up finding out that it was his appendix and so he was in the hospital Saturday night and was still there when we left on Sunday. Amber, her sister Crystal and I were still able to go downtown Charlotte for a little while on Saturday. Then on Sunday we stopped by and visited her Dad and then went to church and then over to her grandma's house. It was a good weekend and I had a lot of fun spending some time with Amber!

A cool skyscraper downtown Charlotte

Amber and her sister Crystal

Downtown Charlotte....I love Emily Bronte!!

It was heavy...

Amber and I! (it was windy)

I found $20 on the street!  It was crazy!!  I've never found that much money just lying in the middle of the road before!

Valentine's Day

Some of the girls and I cooked dinner for our guy friends on Valentine's day. We had so much fun hanging out and laughing. We also celebrated April's birthday a little early with Madeline's famous cookie cake. I'm so thankful for the great guys we have at Crosspoint!

Home for the Holidays

I apologize for the lack of posting, my computer hasn't been working too well lately. I am home in Annapolis for the holidays and I am enjoying resting and getting plenty of sleep after all of my travels! My camera is also not working and so I don't have any pictures to show from the past week. I have gone through some re-adjustment and culture shock coming back to the States. I definitely miss London and my friends there, but I am also so blessed with great friends in Maryland. I have enjoyed catching up with my grandmother, spending time with Ashley and Heather, having Greta come to visit and catching up with people at Weems Creek Baptist! Some highlights have been the tea party I had with clotted cream, jam, and scones, watching Colin (which I am currently doing...he's taking a nap), and a visit to "Nana Gail's" in Bethany beach with Ashley and her family.

I have been reflecting a lot the past few weeks on the Christmas season. Christmas is my favorite holiday but it is also a very difficult and distracting time of year. I've been really challenged by thinking and praying through things which distract me from the message and purpose of Christmas to celebrate Christ's birth. I encourage you to reflect on previous Christmases and pinpoint things which distract you each year. For some it's business, for some the desire for a relationship, for some family problems or a lack of family, and for some it's materialism. It's so easy to miss the focus of Christmas and to begin making idols out things in our lives by trusting them to satisfy us more than Christ. What are you trusting to satisfy you more than Christ this Christmas season?

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."-Luke 2:8-12

Christmas Fair

Here's a few pictures from a Christmas fair in Hyde Park I went to shortly before leaving London. I met up with my good friend Laura. Laura and I actually have a good mutual friend and didn't meet for the first time until we got to London! Laura goes to Notre Dame and studied in London through her school. We lived about 45 minutes apart but we went to the same church and met up each week for lunch. Laura became one of my closest friends from London and she has been such an amazing blessing in my life!


We also met up with Sarah and Michael. Sarah is the first person I met at Chapel and Michael is her husband. They are an absoltely amazing couple and went out of their way to get to know Laura and I even though we were in London for such a short time. I have learned so much from them about hospitality and how to love/serve others. I hope to be like them some day! They are two of the people I will miss most from London!

We ate here and had yummy German Bratwurst!

Sarah and Michael!
Laura and I sliding

Laura and I :)

This would come in handy if I ever make it out to Alaska!

Drinking mulled wine and hot chocolate!
The girls with Santa!