Best year ever? I think so.

Here is what happened in my life in 2009. Some are important, some are minute. All in all, it made up my year!

I turned 20!

Okay, still not super important. But I spent an evening with my mom and Lydia and Jason Mraz. And this time he didn't get sick... so maybe it is a pretty big deal =)

My very best friend and roommate got married! I only lost her as a roommate though. This year marks the first full year of our friendship. I couldn't be more thankful or happy that she is my best friend. God worked a pretty big miracle when putting us together as roommates. It took a lot of unfortunate incidents and awkward moments for it to happen, but he knew what he was doing. We just didn't know that he was giving us our best friend in the process!

This whole next section will be Cambodia. But within my trip I accomplished a lot of different things.

I road a boat down a river for six hours. This allowed me to see a side of Cambodia that I would not have seen otherwise. There are tons of people who live on boats, or in their hut type houses right on the river. Even rural America does not compare to rural Cambodia. It was amazing to see how these people live, especially knowing that this is just a way of life to them. It was pretty cool.

This one is big for me. I got to visit Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is one of the most amazing man-made things left on this earth. It was incredible to walk the stone where so many people have walked. Just knowing that this is what Cambodia is proud of as a culture was quite humbling. But it was also kind of sad. It was filled with Buddha. It was also sad to see how much value they put in an ancient structure. Angkor Wat is a place of worship to a god I don't worship. In that sense, it was rough. But as I walked through, I prayed. I prayed for the Khmer people who are worshipping a structure and a god that isn't the true God.

Regardless, it was still an amazing day that I will never forget.

I also got to visit Ta Prohm. This is a pretty famous temple. I was really wanting to see it because of the intense tree's that crawl all over the temple walls. It was amazing. Once again, something I will never forget.

I rode an elephant. Up a mountain. Okay. I am glad I did it, but NEVER again. So scary. Thank goodness for an awesome friend who kept me calm. (Thanks Malia!!)

I learned to love 200ish kids who weren't exactly begging me to love them. I did this while being physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. And it was one of the best lessons I have ever learned.

I met one of the strongest, smartest, passionate, and loving people I have ever met. Without Malia, my trip would have been completely different. She took care of me from the moment I arrived at LAX til the moment I left LAX two weeks later. Not only did she take care of me, we bonded. She was my roommate for the longest and hardest (but best) portion of the trip. Seriously, Malia had a huge influence on me and still does today. She is one of those friends that I think will last a long time, even though she lives all the way in Seattle.

I can't show you pictures for the 2nd biggest thing that has happened to me this year. My two little sisters changed my life completely. They taught me more about love than I ever thought I could learn from two girls that don't speak my language. They taught me more about life, justice, joy, and freedom than I ever thought I could learn. I miss them wholeheartedly. Not a day goes by I don't think of them. Not a day goes by that I don't long to be with them. Malia told me at the beginning of the trip that when I come home I might not feel whole. That wholeness might not come back until I am at Rapha House. I understand what she means. While I don't feel it's God's calling on my life to live in Cambodia, those girls have a piece of my heart. It's a piece I want them to keep so in case they ever doubt it, they will always feel love. When they think of me I hope they think of how often I hugged them and told them I loved them. I hope they remember me telling them how beautiful they are(beautiful being one of the few words I actually learned). I hope they look at my picture and remember how much I care for them and miss them.

Cambodia as a whole changed my life. I am so glad I had the opportunity to see another culture and learn more about how God's love is meant for all people. I am glad I had the opportunity to spend time with Christians in Cambodia who are trying to give hope to a country that has very little have hope in. It's a place that needs so much prayer and support. Cambodia will forever have a place in my heart.

Okay, next!

I spent a week with my favorite high school students! Not only this, I spent my first week at a camp other than Cyokamo... and I didn't die! Imagine that! This year also marks the first year of being more involved with College Heights High School ministry. I started investing more and became a d-group leader. It's been an awesome experience. And here is the most awesome family group ever: Tyler's Lane.

And incase I haven't said it enough- I got engaged. Not only do I have a new beautiful ring to show for it- but I can finally start planning! And I don't mean my wedding (although, I am planning that). I am finally planning my life with Tyler. It's so awesome. It's awesome to finally have that confirmation that we will be sharing our lives together. Tyler and I have had so many ups and downs. We have been friends for so long. Without the friendship and the crazy good and bad things that have happened with us, we would not have been ready to be together for good. But we have worked through every challenge we have faced. We have celebrated things, enjoyed when our relationship was easy, took care of each other when either one of us was down, and most of all loved each other no matter what came up. I wish I could go in to detail about all of the hardships we have overcome and all of the amazing things that have happened for us in the past year, but I won't. I am so excited to start sharing my life with Tyler. I am so lucky and so thankful!

I told Tyler tonight that my New Year's Resolution is to get married. I know, I think I am pretty funny too. I have never really made a resolution, and I don't think I'll start this year. But know this, even though 2009 was incredible and I had a pretty life changing year, I know that God has great things in store for 2010. I am so ready for this year to start!

Happy New Year! I hope 2009 was one worth remembering. If not, here's your chance to make 2010 a good one!

Last Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I listen to Last Christmas a lot. Not just at Christmas time, I mean year round. But now is the time that I have an excuse to listen to it with other people, in the car, whatever. It's nice. I have three versions that I like. But the best will always be the original - WHAM! But Taylor Swift and Glee do a good job too =)

I have only been out of school for like a week but it has already felt like a month... and it feels amazing! I got my grades today and that was excited! My lowest grade being a B (B+ and 3 A's are the remaining grades). I am really proud of my work this semester. Those are about the same grades I get every semester, but I got really good grades on my major assignments this semester. My classes were a bit harder and I still did a great job. I am excited about that. I am excited that I have not gotten any C's in college so far. I'd say that's an accomplishment.

Tyler and I spent the last week together. We started out in Owasso for the weekend. We just hung out and did some wedding things like:

Wedding cake tasting! So yummy! I think we have officially decided on cupcakes in stead of doing an actual brides cake. Honestly, I don't love cake. I have only tasted one wedding cake that I just loved and so the cake hasn't been a big deal to me. So I browsed and saw how people use cupcakes for their brides cake. You can dress it up, put it on a tier just like a cake would be set up, and decorate them! So we will probably have cupcakes and sheet cake, plus Tyler's totally awesome groom's cake. I am excited about that. But I probably won't share that information with you at this time.

Our free engagement photo session was canceled because of the weather last Saturday (too cold/cloudy) so I think we are just gonna forget that. It was going to be an extra thing - only because it's free. But my dear friend Whitney (also bridesmaid, best friend from high school) will be taking our engagement pictures sometime. Our current plan is to go to Joplin for it so we can maybe take some pictures at Camp Cyokamo where Tyler and I met. I hope this works out. If not, I am sure we will have pretty pictures anyway!

So after our Owasso visit we headed to Stillwater. We spent most of the week in Stillwater with Tyler and his family. We spent lots of time with his parents, brother, nephew, and sister-in-law. We also got to spend some time with Tyler's extended family which was nice! Especially since we are newly engaged. Then we got stuck in Stillwater for a little longer than expected and Tyler had a shorter stay in Owasso. I really don't like snow. I don't like it because it's cold. It's very pretty, but I still don't like it. I also don't like it cause it changes plans and makes us almost miss Christmas with my family. White Christmas' are overrated. Please stop wishing for them. I am sure those people who have a car stuck on the side of the road agree.

I liked this Christmas a lot more than usual. I think this is for two reasons: I did get to spend it with Tyler which was awesome. But also, due to a class I took recently at Ozark, I feel like I understand why Jesus came and how astounding that is a lot better than before. I have just learned so much about the cross and the reasons for it and this time of year allows us to reflect on the initial act of Jesus coming. It's been a great time of reflection. I am truly thankful that God chose to give us justification through faith by sending a part of him for us. What an awesome God!

Anyway, I hope you had a Merry Christmas!

6 months ago, 6 months to go.

6 months from today Tyler and I are getting married! Or technically yesterday because it is after midnight, but that is not the point. 6 months usually seems like a long time to me. It doesn't now. Let me tell you something about Tyler and I - he is patient, I am not. I have had to wait for a lot of things. Tyler and I had a weird relationship in high school. God really did us a huge favor by never letting things be right for us to date in high school. He definitely knew that we would mess things up if we did things on our own time. There were some pretty big periods of waiting in our relationship, but it was all for the best.

One thing that I appreciate so much about Tyler is that he thinks God's time is the most important time. He has honored God's plan for when things happen for us. While I hated most of it because of my wonderful dose of impatience, it has always been best. He was right all along that when things actually did happen- it would be worth it! It has been worth it. We have learned more about each other this past semester than ever before. All of the lessons we have learned this semester were much needed and so important to us moving forward. I am so proud of who he is. I am proud of what he values most, and that is God's plan. I am so lucky to have someone who puts God first.

So where was I 6 months ago? Besides not engaged =)

6 months ago on June 12, 2009 I was in Cambodia. I was currently spending my time at Rapha House loving on those girls. I was hugging them, playing with them, laughing with them, etc. I was being loved, hugged, and laughed at all in the process. Especially as I tried to speak their language to them =). Funnily enough, the language of hugs, kisses, and holding their hands spoke enough.

It's crazy to think that was 6 months ago. In some ways it feels like it was 6 years ago. So much has changed in my life since then. The most obvious change is that I am engaged now. That's a pretty big difference. I have changed. I have taken on more responsibility at College Heights. I decided to invest more by leading a d-group. I have dealt with some other crazy things that have honestly taken over my mind since Cambodia.

Today I spent just a couple of hours at the Rapha House gallery. They were having an Open House for Christmas. It was a lot of fun to be a part of. It was the first real opportunity I had to volunteer and I am really glad I did. All week I was kind of in a mood. I was pretty down, not really for any good reason. The week before finals is always stressful. So today I woke up and was kind of feeling better. But being at Rapha House changed my day. It's so hard to me to go in to the gallery and come out with the same mood I had before. Rapha House and my little sisters there have changed my life forever. I don't know how many people I said that to today. I mean it. I am forever changed because of them. They are forever changed because of the hope of Jesus Christ. I love that.

There was a video playing. It was a pretty recent thing. I am not sure when it was taken, but it was taken since I had been there. It was crazy how different some of the girls looked. The youngest girls in particular. They were so young and so happy when I was there, and not a lot had changed. They were still beautiful little girls and laughing constantly. I tried to describe these girls to some visitors in the gallery but it's like, near impossible to relay how beautiful, inside and out, these girls are. It's impossible to relay to you the incredible impact they have on any life that comes in contact with them. Those girls have a special place in my heart. It's really hard to think that it's been 6 months since I have hugged them, kissed them on the forehead, held their hand, played with their hair, signed "I love you", and watched one sister in particular stand outside my window on the bus waving and pressing her hand opposite of mine on the cold glass. Saying goodbye to them was one of the hardest nights of my life so far. That whole experience, the last hugs, watching them out the window, and driving away, is so fresh. But I know that I will get the experience of reconnecting with them someday. I miss them. I know they love and miss me.

For anyone who has ever prayed for a girl at Rapha House, I just want you to know that they love you. They pray for you too. They are so thankful for you. I mean this. If you showed up on that piece of land today, they would celebrate you. They love you. They would change your life if you ever got the chance to meet them. Just like you would change theirs.

It's still crazy how the girls that have been through the worst lifestyle, not by choice, are the most joyful girls I have ever met. It still amazes me to think about. Today I kind of re-lived that moment of my first steps into the gate at Rapha. It gives me chills and tears to think about. To be surrounded by victims of sex-trafficking and being celebrated by them is incredible. Really, just the fact that they celebrate life is incredible.

I can't wait to see how my life changes in the next 6 months. I have a feeling it's going to be pretty good =).