Week 22: Vacation Week

Hey, friends! How was your Christmas? I hope that it was awesome and filled with fun, family, and friends! I am naming last week "Homemade Gift Week Part 2." Those gifts took me forever to make. Last week consisted of basically doing crafts until the wee hours of the morning while watching the show Dexter. Yes, I like the show Dexter. It's funny because I end up fast forwarding through the inappropriate parts which sometimes can be half the show, but I really like the psychology of it all.

These pictures are some of the crafts that I made the last two weeks. I really had so much fun making them, and every one that I made was unique. The doves are the ones that I made for my family. The Spiderman one was for my friend Mike, and I honestly am the most proud of that one. It took me the longest, but I think it looks great, and Mike really loved it so it was so worth it! This Christmas I bought 4 gifts total: 2 for my niece and 2 for my goddaughter. Other than that, I didn't buy any gifts. I just made them for everyone, and it was so fulfilling to be able to give a friend/family member a gift that I had made intentionally for that specific person, that I made with love and hard work. I think this is what I will do for all of my gifts from now on. I hope that people enjoy them as much as I enjoy making them!

This week is vacation week, simply because I am on vacation this week! Many of you who read this blog know how much I have needed this vacation. The last break I had was in December 2008, my senior year in college during Christmas break. Ever since I graduated from college, I have been going and going without any significant break. I will admit that so far on my vacation, I have been thinking a lot about work. The week after I get back from vacation, winter programs start, and there hasn't been a good response from the community as far as signing up goes. That has been on my mind a lot lately, but I am really trying to just enjoy this vacation. Every day, my goal is to do something that I wouldn't normally do on any regular work day. And each day I will update you guys on what I've been doing. So far, it's been great! Yesterday, I traveled to Michigan to see my best friend, Lisa, who is home on break from Hawaii. We went thrifting for a 1920's costume for something I will be doing later this week (don't worry-I'll fill you in on Thursday!), went to see a movie, had a wonderful dinner, came back and played "Guess Who" and "Life", and spent hours talking and catching up. It was wonderful. Then today, we went four wheeling in the snow, which I haven't done for at least 6 years. It was so much fun, and definitely not something I would normally do. Lisa said she will send me the pictures we took, so I will upload those soon.

I have a hard time stepping back and relaxing, so this week will actually be a little challenging. Already I have been tempted to get on my work e-mail and continue planning our summer camp, but I have stopped myself. I need to find a balance, and let me tell you, I am horrible at finding balance in my life. There is a time for work and a time for letting go for a while and letting yourself be renewed and filled up once again so that you can go back and continue to pour out. I also have some thinking and decision making to do this week about various things, so if you think about it, please keep me in your prayers! That's it for now. Check back tomorrow for my next vacation adventure : )