October Breed Eval - Margo! :)

She's definitely Wonder Women :)

Operation Christmas Child

For as long as I can remember, November didn't just mean the beginning of the holiday season or Thanksgiving, it also meant it was time to head to the dollar store and shop for little toys, school supplies, hygiene products, and some candy to pack away all snug in a shoe box to then be shipped off to some child in need in another country. I'm talking about filling a shoe box for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. For information about packing a shoe box and where the closest drop off location is to you go here http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/

I can't say enough how much I LOVE this organization! It is so much fun to get in the Christmas spirit so early, I love picking an age of a child and gender that I want to shop for this year. This year I picked a boy 5-9 years old. I usually end up doing a girl, but this year I picked a little boy, I filled his box with cars, planes, and other boyish things. :) I hope this little boy who gets this box is blessed by the gifts and that he knows that someone is thinking about him. Most important though, I hope this little boy finds the HOPE and LOVE of Jesus Christ this Christmas. On top of Samaritan's Purse giving out these boxes to children they also share the gospel with every single child, and that, that is the best gift of all.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Keith came shopping with me

getting ready to pack the shoe box!

This is a time lapse video of me packing the shoe box

All done!

Julia, Keith, Dahlia, and Mitchell

My two favorite charities!!! Guiding Eyes for the Blind and Operation Christmas Child!

One year!

It's hard to believe that just over a year ago I was packing up my car and getting ready to take the drive down state to start my new life. MY.NEW.LIFE. . .  I couldn't believe it, was I really ready to take this step? Was I ready to move out on my own for the very first time, to have a real full time job for the very first time? I honestly didn't know the answers to any of those questions, but the excitement of starting my dream job made me feel like I could take on the world! This year has been full of ups and downs. I've had days where I missed my family and friends back home so much it ached, but thankfully I've made great new friends who are there when I'm down.

All in all this year has been one of the best I've had. I'm so thankful for this job, where I get to work with some great people and incredible dogs. I'm thankful for the opportunity to grow in ways I didn't know I could and I look forward to keep on growing and learning in the years to come. 

My favorite quote when I moved here was this,

"Home is where you will always have a place, where you will always feel loved, and you will never be alone." I didn't think my little apartment would feel like home, but it's already starting to and I love my little Brookside Cottage. I'm still trying to find that church that I feel at home at, it's been a struggle to find a place that I feel comfortable at after being blessed with such a great church family back home, but I am trusting to be able to get in touch with a church very soon. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5 & 6"

A friend told me that the first year goes by the slowest and you feel like you've been here longer then a year, but then you blink and it's been 10 years. I can't wait for the next year ahead of me (and the next 10+ years hopefully with this organization). We'll see what new adventures I find in year 2 and where things will take me. I know it will be full of fun, exhaustion, happiness, and memories.