Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
I took 22 college hours all at once, became a missionary intern for the Quiocho Family in Costa Rica and graduated from college!
2. Did you keep the new years resolution you made last year?
I decided not to make any last year and I think that worked out rather nicely for me.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yeah! Alejandro and Yendry gave birth to Deikylnn. Jason and Connie gave birth to Rowdy.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not this year.
5. What countries did you visit?
Belize and Costa Rica.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
I struggle with loving everyone no matter what. I want to learn how to do that. - This has not changed since 2007. That still stands. Also, I would really like to have a big girl job that I enjoy.
7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory?
New Years Even with Laura, Lori and her friend, Gina. The random nights spent playing board games at Otter Family Game Nights. It's not really a particular date, but all the nights spent at Chelsea's house doing WILgroup Bible Study and discussing life together. Disciple Bible Study with the "counselor" group. Brambling in Belize. All the Fall 2011 Monday nights doing Journey to Christ and then driving Bri Wilson to ASC. Tons of time watching trick shot videos, hanging out with youth and baking for StudyBreak Cupcake. All those moments spent at the Rio Frio community playing Sorry, hanging out with little children, having sleepovers with Angie, cooking, sharing stories and life in general, laughing and worshiping alongside each other. My last night in Rio Frio - the dinner with everyone and the sleepover with Angie and Kristina. Graduation day.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Graduating from college.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Can not knowing what I want to do for the future count as my biggest failure?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yeah. We're still not sure what's going on with that.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Costa Rica Internship!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
What?
13. Whose behavior appalled you the most?
Like I'd really put that here.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel, Food & Gas.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Costa Rica!
16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
Kristian Stanfill - Like A Lion and pretty much anything from Passion.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you
a) happier or sadder? happier after the holidays.
b) thinner or fatter? thinner without a doubt.
c) richer or poorer? poorer for sure.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Study the Bible and talk to Him. SLEEP/RELAX (in the spring)! Study! Job Hunt.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I'm not really sure.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
I spent Christmas eve with my Aunt Polly, Uncle Jim, parents, and Lori eating chicken tetrazini and opening presents. Christmas day was my parents, Lori and I and Jason with his wife and kids. We hung out around the house, ate a big meal for dinner and opened some presents.
21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Nope.
22. Did anyone close to you get married?
Alejandro & Yendry! Ben & Jessica! :)
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Wizards of Waverly Place, Haven and FRIENDS.
24. Do you hate anything now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope.
25. What was the best book you read?
I read the first of the Yada-Yada Sisterhood series and loved it. I also read a series about a girl that didn't know what she wanted to do with her life and so she became a baker. I feel like that may have been a beginning catalyst for my baking fall semester. I can't remember the name of the books, but they were actually about that. I mainly read and adored reading blogs though.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Kristian Stanfill I guess. I already knew about him though.
27. What did you want and get?
Joy.
28. What did you want and not get?
Jobs.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
HP7 - the ending, Kung Fu Panda 2 or The Muppets.
30. What did you do on your birthday?
Otter Family Game Night with a few extra friends that turned into broomball at the church.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Knowing what 2012 would look like.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Vintage, classic, detailed, layered, comfort, styled.
33. What kept you sane?
God, youth group, Kathy Kothman, The Quiochos, ASC girls, Kali Myers, A&M UMC, road trips.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Carlos Whittaker.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I can’t really think of any at the moment.
36. Who did you miss?
I miss my friends in Costa Rica.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
I'd have to go with the Quiocho Family and all the people that we met along our summer journey. Also, getting to know Zac Gilts, the A&M UMC Youth Dream Team and some of the A&M UMC counselors better.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
These are from 2010, but I never published my 2010 New Year Questionnaire: Plan B. Be flexible and it will all be okay. (Summer study abroad falling through). Just because you started it a long time ago, doesn't mean you are tied down to it. (Crazy Love Bible Study). Do what you love and be with who you love because those around you and what you are doing will affect you, especially your attitude towards life.
& For 2011, there is: Listen to others. Everyone is interesting even if they don't believe it themselves. Help them find it if need be. (Costa Rican Internship). The roots of my faith aren't really what I originally thought. (Spring 2011 WILgroup). Investing time in people will never be a waste of time. (Fall 2011). With God's help, you really can do anything, even 22 hours of classes. God really does care about the little things. (Spring 2011). Days without laughter, are not truly lived. (All year long - Costa Rica SAPC B Team, especially).
39. Quote a song title that sums up your year:
Roaring Like A Lion - Kristian Stanfill

my Life Changes for the year two thousand and twelve are as follows:

1. Grow in Christ's Likeness- become a Godly Woman
- it's like a John 3:30 thing where,
"He must increase, but I must decrease."

That is it for the resolutions this year. I don't want to be "tied down" to others, even if they are fabulous or needed.

& A Different Way To Remember '11:

45 of the most powerful images of 2011. 15, 20 & 45 are my favorites.

Today, I'm Missing Friends, Family & Retreats

There's this wonderful family called the Williamsons that I have lived life alongside of for years. I got the chance to go on family retreat with them awhile ago, like two years ago. It was great catching up with them as I don't get to see them too often. There were awesome moments of teasing and SkipBo and more laughter than should be permitted. Here's some memories from that retreat that I never got around to posting:

 

Seeing these pictures me miss the family a lot.
Good thing I should be seeing them soon.
Also, I kind of want to go on a retreat now...

A Thousand Words Isn't Enough.

No matter how many times I look at the images on my computer taken by my hands (and from a few friends) I can't fathom them. Images of dirt, blazing sun, wire topped buildings, trash piles larger than cars, children bathing in the midst of the trash - these are what I've been looking at tonight.

I'm speaking at Mosaic, my church's college ministry, on Thursday night. It's not something I normally would do. I don't speak. I don't even speak up in class when my grade is dependent upon it. The whole idea just freaks me out. For some reason, along with being slightly distracted, I agreed to speak about my international mission experiences this Thursday night. I believe I will be focusing on Mexico and Nicaragua.

I've been trying to get some pictures together to show. Pictures that can show what it is like, but all my pictures pale in comparison to the real heartache and situations that I have seen in these countries.

I'm good at having my mind on several different topics at once. I'm great at compartmentalizing and becoming numb to things. These pictures though, I can't become numb to. To become numb to them is to deny the reality that these situations are truly going on in other places and in a way right here at home too.

Now I can't get the pictures out of my head. Although my tears are gone, I can feel them lurking, waiting for an opportunity to escape.

I don't know what else to say. These pictures kind of cause a loss of words...

If you want to see my Nicaragua pictures from Summer 2009, click here.
If you want to see how God reminded me of La Chureca in the fall, click here.

Stephamiah

Jeremiah and Stephanie are two of my friends that I've had the privilege of getting to know through Impact, the dorm experience and living life in general over the past two years at Texas A&M. I love hanging out with these two, which definitely didn't change on the day of their photoshoots. The first shoot was posted awhile back. These are some of my favorite shots from our second shoot we did a couple of weeks ago. Our morning ended in us sitting around Dairy Queen enjoying some ice cream and each others company. How fabulous!

Visits From Jack Frost

A long time ago this semester, Jack Frost visited College Station. Classes were canceled. That day was free pancake day. After some blueberry syrup drenched pancakes, snow ball fights ensued. It was a glorious day!

Special thanks to Jeremiah Johnson for designing my logo.

Jeremiah + Stephanie = Stephamiah

Here are the engagement pictures that some of y'all have been waiting to see. Some are definitely better than others, but these are some of my favorites. Be warned though, I haven't done serious photography now for 5 years and I was using someone elses camera that I was learning to use/remembering as I went. I'm looking into investing in a camera of my own in the next few weeks. In the meantime, enjoy some of my favorites from those two days:

Hope y'all have enjoyed these photographic memories!