01 January 2008

Ringing in the New Year~!

Just a recap of '07!

Since it's 2008 now, I thought I'd better take down my Christmas tree and decorations and sort of get moving into 2008. I have been especially happy during this Holiday season - I cannot exactly put my finger on the "why" but I'm not complaining. I'm grateful to Heavely Father for letting me be happy, not just happy, but very happy. Content. And I'm a little worried that I'll be sad that the season is ending.

It all started on the night I put my tree up. For some reason, I was like a kid in a candy store. I had to wait for my new stand and when it got here, I spent about 2 hrs singing to myself (or along with the Christmas only radio station, which I felt did a pretty good job of playing the right mix of religious songs too). I love the way my tree looks and I am always excited about it because of that.

During December 2007, I have thoroughly enjoyed sitting by my fire, watching my white light Christmas tree spin around, glittering reflections from the ornaments. I attended the Messiah twice and got to spend one of those evenings with my parents. I believe that Christ has really been the center of this Season for me. I have felt the Holy Ghost often and am grateful for that.

I hosted the missionaries and a couple from my ward for dinner and I made an awesome 3o Min meal (brag, brag!), had some friends over and have gone out dancing 3 times. This is probably the most "social" I've been since oh, 2004? LOL...No wonder I feel good.

2007 has been a weird year. Some things just aren't/weren't the way they seem.

Work was not peachy keen this year and was actually pretty rough the first 10 mos of the year, lol. Although I made Chief Scout Executive Winner's Circle in June and successfully ran two day camps - enjoying both immensely in June and July, recruited new volunteers and ended the year with blanaced growth, it has been overshadowed by strained relationships. I pissed off some volunteers and there were lessons to be learned, and yes, it was painful. But I'm grateful for my supervisor who has helped me learn and grow, be brave and learn to speak plainly, stay on topic and just listen.
















Our den at day camp with their helmets on! And now you can see their eyes!

August I headed for the East Coast taking in 5 new states. I visited for the first time Washington DC and loved every second of it and could probably do it every year for the rest of my life. Spent an afternoon chasing Amish folks around town in PA (even when we were warned that they don't appreciate it!) I visited Gettysburg and had an intense desire to learn more and more about it.


The latter half of my trip I got to visit NC (Raleigh area) and stay with my friend Julie and her husband Mike and their boys. It was fun to be with a family. It reminded me of Candie and Jason and their boys. And also made me realize how the gospel helps families, using the proclamation to the world on Families.

Probably my favorite part of the trip was riding the train from Raleigh to Charlotte, taking a taxi to the airport and then waiting there for 13 hrs for my flight! Because of the awesome setting at the Charlotte Aiport, like a country porch setting, free wifi, and banjo players entertaining us, I had an awesome time. I am such an explorer! And NC is so beautiful. It's on my "might move to places".

Just when I got home it was Karen and Nathan's wedding. Here's a pic to commemorate the event...


Then it was Fall. I got home the 3rd week of August and it was "hit the ground running". However, things went well because we had 80% of our packs in attendance at our Fall Recrtuitment training and this was an increase of oh, 200% over the two years previous. People left jazzed up and they went and did their thing. I made my membership goal by mid-December and ran ahead the entire Fall. This made my life so much more enjoyable. Jody Hall, the most awesome friend and volunteer has also made me smile again. She is a treasure and I love you gal!


Still, in this job, the job is never done and now I need a chairman!!!!! And a finance chairman and a camp director for Tillamook (Candance can't do it this year but promised for the next 3 afterwards) and, and, and...

Oh, I almost forgot to mention this - I broke down and got a new car. I love it! It's an '03 Mitsubishi Outlander and had only 44K miles when I got it. I've blown that out of the water but I just refied it this weekend and found out it's worth several more K than I paid for it! Whoo hooo.

My nephews and niece are growing up and cracking us up. Aukai and Ikaia run around getting into all sorts of trouble together. As they grow up, they will be two to watch, I tell ya. They are both boys boys and their father's children (not necessarily a plus! haha)

I hope my mom and dad decide to serve a mission this year. It would be the best thing they ever do.

Well, moving into 2008! Here we go, it's another year. And I've bored you enough.


~Sharon

1 comment:

Maleen said...

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