My "vacation" in Portland was so wonderful that I didn't want to come back to the grind. I spent most of the time with family.
Here's a picture of us at Aunt Jane and Uncle Don's house on Christmas Eve. It was absolutely the best.
That's actually my extended family on my mom's side. We're a small group compared to most of my friends' families! One thing we all share in my family is a strong sense of humor. We spend most of our time together laughing -- frequently at someone else's expense. Everyone is fair game!
Aunt Jane gave one of my niece's some ice skating tickets for her birthday. It was tons of fun. I actually never fell! :)
The girls spent the day doing lots of tricks!
The boys also seemed to have a good time -- after finally finding the right size of skates to wear!
I was also lucky to spend some time with friends from work and church. And my cute pets actually remembered me! It was such a great trip that I didn't want to come back.
But I'm here. I haven't given up and am taking on the second (and final) semester with a fresh focus and a little boost in my self confidence. I know I'm here for a reason.
I've been thinking about the past few years. I'd been looking for a job but couldn't find one. After searching for two years for something new I had pretty much given up hope. Then I heard about this new journalism program. It was providential.
I now realize how much I needed those two years of a seemingly stagnant life to settle into a firm foundation of strength, spirituality, and normalcy. If I hadn't, I don't think I would have been able to feel as if I could actually make it in New York.
As I flew above Manhattan last night, I kept hearing the words of Frank Sinatra repeating through my head. I've since adopted a new mantra: If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere.
Thank you so much to those of you who made the past few weeks wonderful. You've helped boost my confidence in so many ways! I needed all the support I could get! What a fulfilling break!