What A Year!!

It has been 15 days since I got home from one of the most AMAZING three months of my life! It also just happens to be the very last day of 2011?? How in the world is 2011 almost over? I can't believe it! Time has just gone by so fast.

I have been struggling with how exactly to recap my trip... I just don't even know where to begin! It almost has felt like a dream...did I really just spend three months traveling around the United Kingdom and Europe? It doesn't feel like it was even three months, nor does it seem like a whole year has gone by. I remember last year at this time I was closing up at Jersey Mikes in time for a New Years Eve party at a friends house... and now I am sitting on the couch in the living room of my Grandparent's house in Dallas, Texas.

Since I have been "home", I have hardly been truly home! In fact my room looks like a tornado went through it because I have gotten into this routine of packing and then dumping out my suitcase, aka...unpacking...and then packing again and so on and so on!

Macy and I on our "Dinner Date!" :)

My family left December 22 to drive to Georgia to spend Christmas with my brother! I will honestly admit that when I was first told we were not going to be spending Christmas at home this year and instead spending it in a hotel room, I was NOT very happy! What about all our normal traditions? The past 20 years I have done the exact same thing year after year and its just always been great... But I wouldn't have traded this Christmas for any other! In fact I think that this Christmas might be on the list for one of the BEST ever!

FAMILY! That is what made this Christmas so great! For the first time in 6 months we were able to spend time with my brother Jarrod! Many of you won't understand just how important that was for all of us. As compared to last year where my brother was going through some really difficult times struggling with drugs, he did not want much to do with our family, and Christmas day just was not exactly "Merry." But he decided to go to a program in Georgia called Three Dimensional Life and has been there since the end of June. So for the first time since then we all got to see him. And for the first time in many years I got to HEAR him tell us all that he Loved us, and I got to see the Miraculous work of God that He has done in his life. He seems like a completely different guy than he was a year ago and words can not explain the feelings of thankfulness and joy that we all have! We got to spend 2 and a half days together. Went to Stone mountain in Atlanta, and then just spent time hanging out and talking!



The ENTIRE Family at stone mountain :)...well except for Kara!



On top of Stone Mountain!

 

Lauren and I :)

The #1 highlight of my entire year were these two days that we got to spend with him, just talking with him, laughing with him, seeing him smiling and HAPPY! Getting to see my dad and him get a long better than I have EVER seen before! Jarrod still have about 5 months left of his program and is still in our prayers but I have never been so PROUD of anyone else before! PRAISE THE LORD!

Jarrod and I :)

Christmas day was also great because I got to fly to Florida and spend the rest of the day with one of the most AMAZING families, that has truly been such a blessing to me this past year. The Morris Family! :)! I had never been to Florida before and it is just beautiful and I definitely want to go back there again someday! I got to meet lots of new people... the Snyder Family, and spend much needed time with my Boyfriend Elijah and his family! It was great! :)

Palm Trees :)

BEACH!!!

Florida Sunset...so Beautiful!! :)

This Picture is the Genius Creativity of Micah Morris :)

I got home from Florida, Thursday night, and left for Dallas, Texas Friday morning with most of my family.. David stayed behind because he had basketball! It has been nice to spend some time with my grandparents down here but I am ready to be HOME!!!



Oklahoma Sunset! :) On the way home from Florida!



So that brings me to where I am right now... sitting its 10:07 p.m. and I am just thinking about this past year and thanking the Lord for all the blessings that he has placed in my life!

There has been many things that I could say weren't exactly good or happy, many things that just darn right stunk, but at the same time there were things that are just beyond words amazing! Isn't that the way life is though.. it has its ups and its downs!

There is a song that has been such an encouragement to me throughout this year it is called "BLESSINGS" by Laura Story. These are some of the lyrics:

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace, comfort for family, protection while we sleep. We pray for healing, for prosperity. We pray for you're mighty hand to ease our suffering... What if you're blessings come through raindrops? What if You're healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you're near? What if trials of this life are You're Mercies in Disguise?

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win we know the pain reminds this heart that this is not, this is not OUR HOME!

-AMEN

Here is a link to this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOOFAaUGfRE take a minute just to listen to the lyrics because I am pretty sure that I am not the only one who has had hard times come and seen how the outcome of them can be the biggest blessings in life! :)

Dinner in Dallas! at El Fenix.. the best Mexican resteraunt ever :)



All the girls :)



 

Happy New Year....Goodbye 2011, and Hello 2012 :)

-Lissa