2013 Recap: Highs, Lows, and becoming an Aunt

Every year, my only New Year's resolution is to have the best year of my life. Fortunately, every year, I successfully complete it. It's such a joy to know that my life is getting more full every year. Since 2013 is coming to a close, I'd like to highlight some moments of the year that were especially memorable...

1. Stephanie's wedding- This was a bittersweet event. The joining of Steph and Philip was so beautiful, but also very sad because the marriage meant that my sis would be moving far away (aka 5 hours). The whole thing was really fun and wonderful and grace-filled. Everything went (almost) perfectly, but in the end, my whole family grew closer because of it.

The wedding party (L to R)

Brandon (honor attendant), Me (Bridesmaid), Jacob (groomsman)

Jordan (Maid-of-honor), Stephanie (the Bride!) Rebecca (Flower Girl)

Philip (Groom), Mark (Best Man), Elizabeth (Bridesmaid), Eric (Groomsman)

Putting on the veil before the ceremony... *sigh* So pretty!

2. Becoming an aunt- This seriously takes the cake for best memory EVER (I wanted to put this as #1, but the wedding came first, so I had to get it in order :)! Stephanie and Philip were going to announce at Thanksgiving, but because they were so sick, they had to wait until Christmas (when she was already 9 weeks along). BTW, I am laughing really hard because I accidentally just wrote "9 months" instead of "9 weeks." But even though she isn't THAT far along, she is already starting to show! Welcome to the family, Baby Vander Veen.

3. Turning 16- Which of course means getting my license. Definitely a good thing to happen because I needed to drive myself to school every day. And other places... like parties. And doctor's appointments. Among other things. And of course, having my Sweet 16 means having a big birthday bash. Complete with hay bales, cowgirl attire, dancing, and stick horses (oh dear. If it sounds dangerous, it is). My inner country girl shines through.

Too many people to name. If you don't recognize someone, it's ok.

I don't either :)

It's not uncommon for me to not know people at my birthday parties.

Seriously.

4. Being in a play for the first time since I was 10- Not such a good memory, but it was so embarrassing, I will never forget it. Everyone knew their lines, but the acting/script was so cheesy, we all cringe every time we think about it. The characters were just awkard: my friend Lizzy and I were supposed to "fight" (scary), my friend Eric was supposed to be my husband (scarier), and my friend Jacob was supposed to be my dad (scariest). I am groaning as I think that we actually did that in front of people... yikes. And no, I am not posting pictures of this one!

5. Starting college- Kind-of a big deal. I did really well my first quarter, earning a spot on the President's List (which is hopefully a permanent thing :). In all honestly, college is a lot harder than high school, but also very rewarding. I am so thankful to my mom for making sure I got a good education, because some of the things I learned in my courses at CBC were actually easier than my home-school work! But I still learned a lot this quarter, and I'm hoping to do just as well next quarter, which starts in approximately 6 days.

 The first day at Columbia Basin College

My friend Eric M. and I carpooled when I was in 6th and 7th grade.

Now we are carpooling for college :)

6. Montana/Spokane trip to drop of Lizzy- When we dropped of Lizzy in Montana (which was a LOT of hours in the car, btw), we stayed the night then headed back to Spokane for a few days. Then we met up with our good friends the Diaz's at Silverwood, which was fun but also very scary. I tried the new ride (Spin Cycle), lived through the Sky Diver (which I'd always been to scared to try before), and my harness was making weird noises on Aftershock. I am very happy I lived through it :)

 

On our way to Spokane from Montana.

As you can see, the kids are fooling around in the back :)

It was a loooooong drive.

 7. SEARCH Retreat- Life changer for SURE. The three day weekend for confirmation-prep was so amazing! It was hilarious, surprising, and totally filled with love. This retreat is something I will never forget- the things that happened there were great reminders of what God is all about.

8. Saying goodbye to the year- An event that happens every year. It's always hard, but I know I have something to look forward to. I love the moments when I look back on my life and remember all the hardships, blessings, and excitement that happened throughout the year. I am content with how my year turned out, and I can't wait to see what next year brings. Now it's time to wave goodbye to the past and step foot into the unknown of the future.

I'm wishing you all a Happy New Year filled with God's blessings and love!

May 2014 be filled with more growth, new experiences, and increased laughter.

And may I always be the person God created me to be. 

Even if that's a little cheesy at times :)

"“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain