New Year Shinanigans

It's been a LONG while since I posted, and it's not because of lack of things to talk about. It was the end of school madness, Christmas greatness, and out of town-ness that kept me from the blogging world. In fact, there's plenty to talk about.

First off, Texas weather is CRAZY. Christmas week it was in the low seventies, high sixties. WAYYYY too warm for Christmas. There are Christmas songs about cuddling by the fire and staying warm for a reason. Apparently someone didn't get the memo. But now its freezing [literally] outside. I don't get it.

Second, I have this new camera that I'm completely consumed with. I'm still getting used to it, and I'm not quite through adjusting settings, but it's pretty incredible all the same. I can't wait until the landscape around here is green again so I can snap some pretty pictures, not the dead brown stuff I have been getting. It's beautiful [the camera, not the landscape].

Third, New Years was kind of a bust this year. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about starting over with a new slate this year, but I love celebrating it, and I didn't get to this year. I was out of town, so while my sister partied with her soccer buddies, and my parents with the other parents, I sat in our lonely hotel room, watching the Disney World fireworks show [which actually was quite spectacular].
This past year was one of the hardest, but I think I grew and changed a lot in the process. I'm glad to start this year with what I've been claiming is the new me. The me, that isn't afraid to go against the crowd, the me that truly doesn't wear her mask anymore, the me that knows who "me" is. This will be the first full year with this knowledge of who I am. I'm excited about the journey. The journey of leaving high school, and the familiar behind, and embarking on a brand new chapter of my life: college. Life on my own, in an unfamiliar state, with unfamiliar people. I'm scared to death, but I couldn't be more excited for it. Until then, I'm just enjoying the precious amount of time I have left with my family. It's going to go by so fast. But Nashville, a new adventure.

Fourth, I have realized that I don't love people as much as I thought. I always have said that I strive to love all people, and while this is true, I haven't been doing it well. I just look at people like Jaime Tworkowski (founder of TWLOHA) who created an entire organization about loving those addicts, drunks, and suicide attempters and I realize I am no where near loving all people. Not even close. One of my new year resolutions: Loving better.

Well in close I have to say, Bon Voyage 2007, you will go down in the books as one of the hardest, but you will not be forgotten. And welcome 2008, I hope you bring change and love and peace and dreams. And through the trials, bring hope.

Be blessed!
Mac