2013 had so many good things happen that it’s hard to write them all down so let’s take it one month at a time.
January: I celebrated my last (for a while anyway) new year celebration in Albania which are always awesome – and not just because you can shoot your own fireworks off!
February: My parents made a visit to Albania!
March: I got to celebrate Women’s Day with some of the amazing women I know!
April: I went adventuring in Berat with some friends!
May: I celebrated my birthday!
June: I began 6 weeks of amazing camps! My favorite was probably the Bible Camp!
July: A dream come true – a creative camp! The kids had so much fun but it was so much work!
August: I went on a 6 week backpacking adventure through Eastern Europe!
September: I made it back to the States & had a time of debriefing in Colorado – still my favorite state!
October: I was able to go to my first Clemson game since leaving for Albania! (My family usually goes to at least one every season!)
November: Thanksgiving means food and family! I got to reconnect with most of my extended family and of course spend quality time with my parents, sisters, brothers-in-law & nieces!
December: Christmas! I got to spend lots of time with my nieces and of course spoil them.
2013 was definitely an awesome year full of adventures & surprises! I got to host an Albanian New Year dinner with my family
I was able to travel the length of Albania down to Saranda
I saw many kids I had been working closely with and praying hard for take steps of faith and begin pursuing God.
And then I had to close a 2 year long chapter of my life and say goodbye to all of my friends & family in Albania.
I got to scratch off a life goal as I backpacked through Europe for 6 weeks through 12 countries during which time I also crossed borders through bribery, got pulled off busses at borders, slept with bedbugs, rode on a segway and stayed in a floating hostel on the Danube River.
Thanks to this past year’s travels, I’ve now been to 23 countries and counting.
I got to see my niece who was 1 year old when I left (and is now 3 years old). I got to meet my other niece for the first time who was born 5 months before I got home. We bonded quick! (I’m thankful I was talked about often so I wasn’t a total stranger to them!)
I’m still learning how to live in America without forgetting everything Albania has taught me. It’s a balance I am still trying to figure out.
2014 has got its work cut out to top 2013. And I fully expect it to as I move to a new city, start a new business & begin a new chapter in my life in January.
So bring it 2014!
I expect big things & amazing adventures from you!