Christmas Day!

Wath out! My brothers are loaded! : )

Grandpa gave me Journey earrings to match my necklace

Seth loves his Transformers!

Jesh enjoys his Chevron firetruck!

Grandpa and our Grandma-to-be


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

More Snow!

First Snow!

Christmas Preparations

I love putting our Christmas tree up and carefully arranging all the lights and decorations on it! We did this today while we watched one of the Christmas Classics, It's a Wonderful Life.
Christmas is in the air, and I am reminded of our Savior's perfect gift to us.

The End Is In Sight

I feel like I'm in the last leg of a long race. And it feels wonderful! After December 9th I'll only have two quarters left : ) I dare say, it is rather a frightening thought that I am supposed to be a competent Dental Hygienist at the end of 7 months. . . Oh well, the Lord has seen me through this far, and my Dental Hygiene journey is just begining when I get out into "the real world" and start working.
And this quarter is practically over (thank goodness). . . I technically have three weeks left, but they are only 2 days, then 4 days, then 2 days, and then I'm done for this year!

I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

At times I even feel like I'm on Cloud 9 : )

Relationships

Why do relationships hurt so much?
I am beginning to see that perhaps I became too selfish in my relationships. Perhaps I expected too much. . . I had this idea in my head that my relationships were invincible. . . But that is far from the truth.
I wish that I would learn the first time so I didn't have to go through a similar situation, but I guess I'm too hard-headed.
Sometimes I just feel like I don't have enough energy to pour into any new relationships with other people because I'm afraid they will suffer the same fate as previous relationships, and I don't want to go through the same pain again.

One good thing comes when my relationships hurt the most: I have no other place to go but to Him whose relationship is stronger to me than any other can be.
I recognized this concept early on, but accepting it was harder than I at first thought. Why can I not accept that God is the only relationship that I need?
So I can only trust that God is listening to my cries and hurts, and cling to the promise that all things work together for good for those who love God.

Through Thick and Thin

I have recently been convicted of my attitude during rough, stressful, tiring times. . . especially when those rough times are a part of school, which is all the time because school is my life for the present. Whenever something goes well (passing an anesthetic proficiency or getting a whole quad done on a class IV!), I praise and thank God. All that's very well, however when situations are not in my favor (I can't find a patient until the very last minute, I'm behind in my amalgam fillings, I only get 2 teeth checked out on a patient, need I continue?) then my mood heads south and am full of self-pity. I get edgy as I allow the high level of stress get to me. I have found that there is a link between my taking my eyes off the Lord and His sovereign plan, and becoming overwhelmed by the various cares and worries that accompany this vigorous DH program. My poor family, I tell ya.
Anyways, my new resolution: Have a positive attitude when it's easy and when it's not. This doesn't mean that I have to love school, because I don't. But I can have a good attitude about it while I'm in the midst of it. I will give glory to God through thick and thin, and know that He is in control of everything.