My 25th Year

I'm feeling a bit introspective tonight on the eve of my 26th birthday.  25 has been quite the year and it seems like it passed pretty quickly.  I thought I would make a list of what's happened in the past year, as I reflect on the blessings, triumphs, and trials of 25.

* Started off 25 with a new relationship........and that same relationship ended several months later.  Learned a bit about people and myself.

* Learned how to live in one house with 5 roommates.......fun times, loud times, awkward times.....

* Discovered that sometimes guilty pleasures will catch up with you.....like that time I got rear-ended in the Taco Bell drive thru.  I shouldn't have been there in the first place...lol!

* Remembered the hardwork that school demands.  I pulled a few all-nighters as I worked on my master's degree and then went to work on less than an hour of sleep......more than once.

* Became Auntie Em when my sister gave birth to my dear nephew in February.  He's so adorable!

* Got my own place and moved to Leesburg in April.  Painted it purple to make it "mine" in August.

* Struggled to know how to be supportive to my family as various trials popped up throughout the year.

* Became an ambassador for our country as I hosted a friend from Ukraine for a month.  It was fun to experience everything as if for the first time with her.

* Completed the Master's degree in July- a month early!!!  Very proud accomplishment this year.

* Snagged a new job within a week of getting the degree- something that I thought impossible.

* Learned the hard lesson of trying to do too much at one time.  I had a complete body breakdown in July and had to drop some of the balls I'd been juggling....good life lesson.

* Enjoyed the company and friendship of great volunteers at both jobs.  It's great to get paid to hang out and pour into cool people!

* Started up a new small group in my area in October- biggest blessing ever!  I am so encouraged every week by some awesome chicas as we do life together.

* Fought to regain fitness and health after letting it slide while pursuing everything else in 25th year.  That is a challenge that carries over to 26.

* Had the best Thanksgiving ever with a motley crew of friends and friends' friends.  Who else can you get caught in a traffic jam at midnight with while in the backseat you're squished like a sardine while a friend sings Jingle Bells in Romanian?  I love my crazy friends.

* Learned the valuable lesson of the ups and downs of friendship.  It's worth it to stick it out in the hard times because friends are worth so much.

* Stepped out in faith to pursue some new opportunities that the Lord is providing.  Mysterious, I know, but nothing is public yet- news to come in the next week or two.

* Most of all, I experienced God's love and mercy in new ways.  He is so faithful and He is all sufficient.  When I went through positive times- He was there.  When I was really going through the rough times- He was there.  He is always there and I am so thankful for Him.