TILT! The pre-vacay edition!

Well, because I have been SUPER stressed out and ready to kill almost everyone, I decided it was time to recount the good things from my week in spite of the stress.

-I was thankful for people that support me, and, as was the case this week, protect me.

-I was thankful for sales on some summery clothing that I can wear on my vacation.

-I am super thankful to be taking a vacation (leaving tomorrow)...warmer temperatures, time away from some stressful situations, overall refreshment!

-I was thankful to get to see Sherlock Holmes 2 this week (with 2 of my hilarious friends)

-I was thankful for the "J" drawn on my latte last night...so cute!

-I was thankful for finding some cheap reads on kindle!

-I was thankful for my family

-I was thankful for my friend always bringing me delicious food...last night J brought me homemade meatballs, and the week before she brought me homemade steamed bread (my fave)!

-I was thankful for unspoken sympathy demonstrated in actions

-I was thankful that my friend trusted my Chinese handwriting enough to let me help her fill out some documents for work

-I am thankful for discount plane tickets that will allow me to visit a friend's hometown, and to travel with another friend and her mother!

-I was very, very thankful for handsome barista this week. I spent a lot of time this week at the coffee shop because our internet at home was broken...I also had my share of stressful situations, several of which happened at the coffee shop. Anyways, I appreciated him fending off a stalker for me, making me custom drinks when I was stressed out, and just being an overall cutie.

Well, tomorrow I start my whirlwind tour of 4 countries (counting layovers, I guess it's 5, haha). See y'all in a couple of weeks!

新年快乐！

Ok, so it's a little late for a New Year's post....but, happy new year all the same! I know I am grateful for a reminder that a fresh start is always possible, ptl!

I had grand plans for New Year's Eve (just like last year), that involved karaoke and glow bracelets...but when midnight struck, I found myself at a friend's house watching "2012" and snacking. We didn't notice when midnight struck...anticlimactic, but a good new year celebration nonetheless....good company!

A big part of celebrating a new year for me is not so much about making resolutions (which usually get broken), as much as reflecting on the past year and visualizing what things I want to grow in for next year.

This year was...confusing, messy, beautiful, exciting, terrifying...all kinds of things. I'm guessing that your year may have been as well.

2012...I can already count blessings that have happened or are to come....I'm looking forward to growing in relationships with friends here....to mending mistakes that I've made and allowing God to heal hurts, both suffered and self-inflicted. I will get to see more of the world...visit new places, meet new people, and have new enlightening conversations.

I'm hoping this year I will cry more, and allow myself to acutely feel emotions again. I hope I will grow closer to God. I hope I will really extend kindness to my friends here, even when I feel irritated or overwhelmed by cultural stresses.

Of course, I have thought of a few practical things I want to grow in too...the usual study goals, language improvement techniques to try, studies to do, etc.

What about you friends? What were the highlights of your past year and what are things you are looking forward to in the next year?