Walt Disney World & NYC!

So I returned home from my 10 days of being away on Monday! It was a whirlwind of fun rolled up into a short period of time.

I started off in Orlando at Walt Disney World for work with Sharla & Charlie.  Charlie and I ventured in to WDW and needless to say, it was a bit of a stressful experience.  Having another person there would have been so helpful.  In fact, thanks to Facebook! my friend from high school saw that I was @ WDW and she was there interning so she actually met up with us a few times - that was so fun and I was thankful she was there! 

Growing up, Mom & Dad never sold the WDW theme to us...so it was never a big deal to want to go to WDW.  My favorite part was watching Charlie and how excited he got when he saw the characters - yes, excited.  He was so animated and not a bit scared.  

We made it to Magic Kingdom (where they happened to be filming the ABC Christmas Day Parade with Regis & Kelly... make no mistake, it's not filmed on Christmas Day - and watch for me & Charlie -we could be making our debut!); Universal Studios (we saw the Spectacle of Light Show, pretty neat); and to Animal Kingdom.

Overall - WDW was fun, a different experience but fun. 

I left Thursday morning and flew back to BWI where I quickly ran out to the car to switch out some clothes and then hopped on another plane to NYC for the weekend.

My mom, sister, sister-in-law, niece and I all met up in NYC for my Mom's 60th Birthday surprise trip.  We had a blast, though we managed to be there on one of the coldest days this year (8 degrees).  We saw The Lion King and Wicked - - both are amazing shows! 

I got back home on Monday and it's been nice to be back although it's only for 8 days!  It's hard to believe that at one point I was planning to be moving back to Texas during this time!! My how things have changed!

Check back later for a post of the SNOW that we're receiving!  The state of VA has been declared a "State of Emergency!" We've got a 100% chance of snow tonight, all day tomorrow and into tomorrow night!! SOOO EXCITED!

We're expected to get somewhere between 18 and 24 inches! Enough for a snowman and some good sledding!

Clipboard of Travel Fun!

Oh...it's time to go again!

There has only been one month this year in which I haven't, at some point, been on an airplane - and that was February.  So it's really no surprise that I'm writing to say that I'm leaving on a trip once again..

This Friday I'm off to Disney World!!! Yes, it's for work - however, Charlie and I have a 4-day pass to all of the Disney Land parks and I'm pretty excited!  I've never been before so it should be a pretty fun time although it'd be a little better if I had someone my age with me! ha!
Anyone that could have come, however - will be at Will's 2nd birthday party in Texas...so that's fun for them!

I have one surprise trip after that (wait for the post) and then it's off to Texas for 2 weeks for Christmas.  I'm so thankful the family I work for loves family as much as I do and appreciates the holidays!

I'm only in Virginia for 11 days in December - absolutely crazy!

Unfolding a Story

....that has been in the making (for awhile!)

This past June, for a number of reasons - the number one being the Lord - I felt called back to Texas, in December.  I was excited and scared.

The first 4 months of my experience here were not the best to say the least.  They were filled with lots of valleys and mountains.  I was suffering - and I wasn't doing it well.  I wasn't praising the Lord through all my circumstances... I was merely complaining because life wasn't as great as I had imagined it being up here. (Granted I never imagined life up here before the Lord put moving to VA on my heart).

In May I began to pray that the Lord would change my circumstance.  For awhile I had been asking for friends; true, honest, great people.  Well, in April he delivered Lauren (a huge blessing!)  Life got instantly better...mainly because I had a social life.  From that point, a friendship bubble appeared to be growing out of nowhere.

In June, some cards unfolded and I was shown that I was in fact going back to Texas..in December.  I became ecstatic. Overjoyed. Thankful that the Lord was bringing me back....however, now I had friendships I would be leaving - roots I had began planting I would soon me ripping up.

Skip forward to my trip home in August/September for Labor Day.

I was sitting on the front porch of my parents house, just thinking, enjoying the countryside that is not readily available in VA...and it was almost like He spoke audibly, saying "Hey, I'm not quite done with you in Virginia...how does May sound?"  I was dumbfounded.

Here I was, so excited to be moving back in December (I bought a house in July, an absolutely adorable house mind you, ptl!) absolutely positive it was the Lord calling me back, but now - here He is saying, "Can you wait, can you trust me, I need a few more months."

I questioned Him, saying things like "Well can't you finish those things in Texas.., I mean, seriously?" It was obvious His answer was "No" in the way things seemed to take shape.

I began to pray when I got back to VA and eventually informed Rob & Sharla of my decision - and of course they were incredibly excited that I was staying until May...and so was I.  I wasn't ready to leave in December, and leaving in May would provide an extra 5 months.

An extra 5 months for...

- trusting the Lord in keeping me here

- being challenged by Him

- traveling more places

- hanging out with my friends here

- one more Cherry Blossom season

- time for more visitors

- and more time with Charlie.

Everyday I see the plan He had in bringing me up here unfold a little more.

You see, as it turns out - He needed to bring me out of Texas to teach me more about Himself AND myself than I ever could have imagined.  I've learned a lot about some ugly parts of me that existed, and thanks to Him have been improved or removed.  Prayers I had prayed since being in college - He's answered them, in the strangest ways.   I've been up here for 11 months and I'm not the same person I was when He brought me up here, and for that I'm thankful.  Being up here has been me thankful for a lot.

I thought you all deserved a little filling in.  I know that He's keeping me here until May - and that it's not me... mainly because I had it in my mind to be leaving and I was excited - and He has totally reversed those emotions.

The end remains the same.  I'm moving back to Bryan/College Station and I cannot wait to start my life there - to become a part of New Life - a church that is just amazing and so Christ centered

- to see what all the Lord has in store for me there...

- to become a part of the families lives again that I once (and still do) love so much

- to be closer to my family (something I realized I took for granted in moving up here)

I'm so thankful His ways and plans are always way better than mine.  I certainly thought I'd be in Virginia for a lot longer than 15 months and I didn't see myself moving back to B/CS at all.. but I'm overjoyed that I am.

A Fredericksburg Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving I was in Fredericksburg!

That meant...

 - time with Will!!
 - Bejas Queso (one of my favorite things!)
 - getting to see Jennifer, Eric, Susan & Carroll
 - Bejas Queso

The weekend after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest weekends for Bejas so I got to hang out with Will all day Friday and Saturday.  The sad part was he wasn't feeling so well which meant I got to hang out with him pretty much all Thursday night and Friday night as well (well during the night that is!)

I woke up to his cries - going in his room and him crying 'wok, wok' (rock) in the most pitiful voice he could render up.  (Trust me, it's heart breaking!)

I also taught him a few new phrases:
"giddy-up!"
"holey moley!"
....I'm drawing a blank.
But if you ask him what a turkey says, he goes: "Gobble, gobble, gobble!"

Thursday night I volunteered (knowing how busy that Jennifer and Eric would be at work on Friday I knew they needed the sleep!) .  Friday proved to be a tired day for me, though I did nap when he did.

Friday night they asked -and I was reluctant to say yes, but I'm so glad I did because it was so fun snuggling with him in bed and cuddling with him in my arms - something that being 1500 miles away doesn't allow for!

Anna came over to Fredericksburg on Saturday afternoon for quick visit - and that was a super surprise! I was so glad to get to see her.  She is currently living in my house - the one I bought back in July (that I haven't mentioned) and we'll be roomies when I move back to Texas... so excited!

Sunday morning we were up bright and early heading to College Station to meet Mom & Dad for lunch so that I could get in their car and they took me to Tyler to get on the plane.  Of course we had just enough time to stop over in Frankston so that I could see my doggies! They were pretty ecstatic to see me!

I was thankful to be headed back up to DC but sad to leave Texas!

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!