it's been christmas around here

well, i've returned.

the school year ended with a big bang and many tender mercies. i had a beautiful semester, full of more growth, answered prayers and saving grace than ever before. i know the our heavenly father listens to and answers prayers! i've even managed to obtain a job--after how many months of searching? it practically fell into my lap.

between the time school ended and christmas officially began for the work world, i was trained, per say. during those last few weeks of school, i literally could not give christmas a thought... i didn't have the brain capacity to think of the gifts to buy slash make for people--there was no room whatsoever. and then with the job training until wednesday.. i got to most of my christmas preparations a bit later than usual.

kurtis and i started the grinch around two in the morning on christmas eve when i'd finally finished most of my garb and we kept saying, "it doesn't even feel like christmas eve," with slight disappointment mingled with our excitement. there's nothing like that extreme anticipation that came around christmastime in the younger years of life. it felt surreal to us, as i'm sure it did to many of you. i've felt that way about christmas for a long time now; i think i grew up a little too fast. I still feel so fondly for Christmas!

(duh, who doesn't?)

i guess--what i'm trying to say--is that things have changed. you know? but it's a good change.

anyway, we had a beautiful christmas. the 25th was a fun-filled morning of will's hash bowns/eggs, kristen's bacon, and serious and not-so-serious gifts. i think kaylynn and colby won this year when the gave kurtis ten dollars.... trapped inside a miniature pinball game that he had to beat before he could have the money. haaa. even with high-larious things like that, it was a meaningful time.

we've spent this Christmas with loved ones eating, visiting the cemeteries, and partying. i love, so much, Christmastime--it brings us all back to one another!

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and now, some photos of the times. the break has been full of things i love:

friends and reunitings.

roommate christmas party: homemade pizza and gift exchange. it was a blasty!

nicole, shayna, chels, mak and mal.

beauties.

love these girls.

thanks, nicole!

ahhhha. nighty inspired by ali mercer.

(here's the story. a year ago i dreamt of having a nightgown. i told ali and she gave me one for christmas 08. i wore it to bed one night when mal and i were living in hawaii and she thought i was absolutely insane to be wearing a silky, red flowery nightgown. ha ha. ali inspired it and now the memory will live on.)

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the lovely marie bates has been called to the slc mish. we parted ways and i wished her my best. she will be such a stalwart sister!

congrats, maria, i love you! thanks so much for your consistent examp of charity and humility!

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a bunch of the uads girls got together at classy b.o.

i am always amazed at how easy it is to be with them--even when its been years since i've seen some of them.

i love you girls so much!

ali, betty, ashley, racheal, silvia and natalie.

k8r the gr8.

viel lieb.

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family.

unfortunately i don't have many phots of all our gatherings.

just trust me when i say it's been a wonderful time.

and...

i've been able to spend hours at end doing what i love--

making my room into a complete disaster of organized, paper-y chaos. :)

oh, and i received a new camera. I am thrillllllllllllllllllllllllled about it.

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and that's that.

school's starting up again in the next few days. considering how excited i was for it to end, the excitement i feel for it to begin again is quite paradoxical. i have my last two generals and allllllll major/minor classes. i am incredibly anxious to delve into it--especially my bible as literature class. ahhh. i'm sure it'll be another good semester, as they all are.

until my next post--you know what i'll be doing:

schooling

workin the new job

dancing for the show opening in less than three weeks. ha.

spending time with liebers

etc

a few weeks ago, a girl at church said, "Christmas is a state of mind."

i'm going to try living there.