Before 2013 slips from the calendar and becomes memories captured in pictures and journal entries, there are many December happenings worth recording.
First and exceedingly important: Elise's 12th birthday!
I brought Krispy Kreme donuts (a rare treat in Jakarta) to school at lunch time and her friends provided this very shiny birthday sign. We celebrated with her favorite foods: waffles for breakfast and Thai basil chicken for dinner.
It just happened her birthday was also a YW mutual night - Elise attended her first young women meeting with Madi.
Choir brunch.
Very few things are better than music and delicious food.
Eating before singing (of course!) with Lyndi, Rebecca, Tasi, Cherylyn, and Julia.
Oh how I love Yuli! We cooked side by side in the kitchen many times during the holidays.
Indonesian Santa at "Hero" our local grocery store.
A Winter Wonderland in Kemang Club Villas with the portable golden reindeer.
The Nutcracker Suite (synchronized-swimming-style).
This will be our last Christmas Eve to enjoy 85 degree weather and a swim in the pool, so we made the most of it.
Christmas Eve Luminaries with our neighbors Rachel and Guillo Citron.
My most heart-tugging homesick moment was lighting our luminaries and thinking of our hometown Hamilton and our winter walks to see the entire town lit up.
Perhaps my favorite Christmas Eve moment was the spontaneous caroling with our neighbors who walked down to look at the lights.
With the New Year just minutes away, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for this year. December was just the icing on the cake of an incredible year--a year filled with adventures, dear friends, travels, Indonesia, teaching, learning, and growing.
A few weeks ago Truman asked me when I was the happiest in my life. Without any hesitation I answered, "This year."
Farewell 2013, you've been my favorite so far.
No comments:
Post a Comment