a year-end review, the best of 2011

farewell 2011....can't believe it's already 2012.  How come no one told me that once I graduated college that life would fly by?  What is that about?  Is this seriously how the rest of my life is going to feel?

2011 was such a year of growth, life changes, leaving my job, going to Africa, deciding to move to Thailand, living in North Carolina, moving back to Texas, meeting new friends, and saying goodbye to old ones.  I am really looking forward to 2012.  I don't think I have ever been this excited about what a year had in store - moving to a new country, leaving behind everyone I know, learning everything all over,  hopefully speaking Thai, and most importantly bringing the LOVE of Christ to the hurting, needy, and afflicted.

So I'm not good at making & keeping new year's resolutions BUT this year I'm making a PROMISE to you & myself that I WILL be a better blogger.  Since I operate best on deadlines this whole blogging thing is hard for me because let's be honest I don't give myself a deadline.  However, I figure since I am moving halfway across the world my family will constantly be hassling me to post, so in turn hopefully I will be better.  Since I spoke this on the world wide web then I will have to do it.  So if I don't post often please feel free to bug me until I do.

My other new year's resolutions are to: learn a new language, learn a new culture, move to a big city, try new food, wear different clothes, and go to asia.  Oh wait, I'm already going to be doing all those things.  I figure if I make resolutions that I'm already going to do then I won't fail! Win-win situation.


In order to remember 2011 I decided to do a year-end review. here it goes. enjoy.

i celebrated my 24th birthday. with the biggest balloon ever and a flower delivery from a special little girl.

i hung out with this cutie...a lot. 

and this one. 

i helped out with YoungLife and did a Snooki cameo.  and put a toilet paper roll in my hair to make the poof poofier.

i baked a lot of cakes and had too much fun with my co-workers. 

it snowed. i almost ran off the road. i played in it instead of worked. and i built the smallest snowman. 

i met these two lovely ladies through YL. 

i played basketball (baseball, soccer, football) a lot....and lost a lot.

i made more cakes. 

my brother and sister-in-law adopted these cuties from rwanda, africa.  it changed my life. 

and i went with them

and i got touched, hugged, tugged, and loved by these cuties.

my friend sarah from college moved to belton and we got to reconnect. she's the best encourager i know.

audrey left me some important notes whenever i left the house. "earthquakes are happening in japan," "lady gaga concert," and my favorite "dear fer fer, thank you for nothing."

saw matt wertz & ben rector in austin.

took a lot of pictures for people.

hung out in waco with bexy. won the RG3 giveaway. and loved me some Perry Jones III.

laughed, danced, played, snuggled, read, slept, and ate with these cuties.  and bawled my eyes out when i moved out of the house.

left my job and decided to move to Thailand. got a goodbye cake with a mysterious object that turned out to be an airplane.

the biebs came to my goodbye party at work.

had a lot of family dance parties. got to love the kinect.

and made even more cakes.

went to the beach with my family.

stephers moved back to texas and the three cousins/besties were reunited.

finally visit my college bestie, Chelsea, at Pine Cove.

roadtripped with Chelsea to visit our other college bestie, Lacey, in Memphis. all three finally reunited after 2 years.

made a crowd go from 4 to 30 due to our mad kareoking skills. "no scrubs," "PYT," & "i want you back" are always classics.

my college bestie, ashley, came out with a cd. go buy it now. trust me.

met up with my beaumont besties in Tennessee and saw the largest firework show ever in chattanooga.

lived here for 11-weeks in union mills, NC in the smallest apt. ever also known as the hobbit hole.  it only had one window.

finally met my parnter and roomie in Thailand, Kristen.

almost broke a leg roller skating.

made some dear friends moving all over the world to share the hope of Christ. 

took a road trip to D.C. 

visited every monument + smithsonians + some in one day.  

and my feet almost fell off.

made a phineas & ferb cake.

and then dressed up for the party. good thing i watch cartoons on saturdays with the nieces and nephews so i'm in the know.

saw a real fall with leaves changing.

and my breath was taken away.

had the best halloween costume ever.  would doesn't love a gnome? 

made a new family at training. 

sat in these chairs for what felt like 123298723 hours.

this little cutie stole my heart.  he came by our apt. about 3x/day asking for a snack.

we climbed a mountain. kind of.

went to the biltmore.

and i left my camera with them.

the beaumont besties came to visit in NC.

went to DC again to speak at a GoCorps event and went on a hunt to find the underground currency of DC, the Potomac.

met these amazing friends headed to spain.

met the older version of me. exactly the same. love her to death. cried a little lot saying goodbye.

joined the UWM family.

drove 17 hours in 1 day and made it back to Texas just in time for this wedding and college bestie reunion.

and the three of us got to meet up again!

 explored downtown ft. worth.

and the college besties were reunited again. flat greg even decided to make an appearance from brazil.

took some photos of my beautiful cousins.



and took pictures for my cousin's new fashion blog, Sparkles & Stripes. (shameless plug, you're welcome Las)

 isn't she lovely?

christmas came. 

and we decorated.

i hung out with all the beaumont besties.

and we spent a lot of time in the country

with my crazy family. 

and was constantly entertained by all the littles.

and we had a firework show that backfired on us and we had to run for our lives.  luckily luke hovered over grandma to protect her.

had our annual edgar family kickball game. 

and soaked up enough of the Edgar christmas madness to last me the next couple years.  enjoyed my family.  didn't win the money jar. and cried thinking about how much i would miss them next year. but rejoiced in the opportunity the Lord has given me to share the true meaning of christmas with those who have never heard. 

and the Lord remained faithful throughout all of it.  he is good. 

and a little something to make you smile...

looking forward to 2012.