Monica (Studzinski!), Kim and me...the annual group photo:)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wow...2008! Last year just flew by, didn't it? A lot of really great things happened last year, and I'm hoping that it will continue in 2008.

I haven't updated in awhile, and need to share some big things that are going on in my life. First, and this might be a shocker for some of you!, is that I've decided to move back to the good ol US of A. I've been saying, for a long time now, how much I love living over here and how I never want to move back. But after 6 1/2 years of living abroad, and being a foreigner, it has worn me down! It's not easy living here...everything is so complicated, slow, and really expensive. And it's been harder on me, the foreigner, because I'm foreign. As much as I enjoy working at the UN, the 3 month contracts are starting to become frustrating. It's impossible to plan anything when you don't know if you'll have a job in 3 months time. So, I'm mentally preparing myself, and my friends, for my big move.

Statue of Paul Revere...one of my favorite photos taken in Beantown

Where am I moving, you ask?! As tempting as Abilene, Texas sounds!, I researched some cities I might be interested in and decided that Boston, Massachusetts is the place to be! There is so much culture and history there....not to mention awesome sports teams (Go Pats!!!)! Plus, I've always said that if and when I move back, I'd want to go to the east coast. I need four seasons, with amazing foliage in the Fall and lots of snow in the winter. You'll definitely get that, and more, in New England:)

In front of one of the many ice sculptures for Boston's 'First Night'
My dad will LOVE this picture;) Ok, ok...Go Yankees! Just for you, Faja:)

After I decided on that, I happened to meet someone online:) We 'clicked' (!) right away, and have been talking ever since. His name is Aaron and he lives in the Boston area, is Canadian, is a 2nd grade French teacher in the school's French Immersion program, and is an extremely positive and optimistic guy:) It's hard for us girls to find all of that in one guy! So, I bought a ticket to go visit him during my Christmas vacation, and spent an awesome 5 days getting to know him more and seeing the sights of my future home of Boston:) I still can't believe how 'at home' I felt the moment I stepped into his apartment...even with his friends and family, I felt as though I've known them for years. It was definitely a comforting feeling, and one that I intend on protecting.

Aaron and I in Boston on New Year's Eve

So, Aaron was the cherry on top:) Boston was already looking pretty amazing, but now that there's someone to share it with makes it even more exciting! And to have found someone that cool....online!....is pretty rare. Well, maybe nowadays it's not as odd as it seemed 5 years ago...but still, I had A LOT of people question me about the safety of it all. My response has always been that you can never really know someone, regardless of where you meet them. I've met plenty of idiots the old fashioned way! I took the same precaution with Aaron as I would if I had met him through a friend, or at a cafe. In any case, we're both happy and hope for the best in this relationship:)

Alright...a big move, a boyfriend...what else? I'm going to be an aunt again!!! My brother and his wife are expecting their second child this summer!!!! I'm so excited about this, as you might be able to tell with all my exclamation points!!!!!! I love babies, and will be a bit closer this time to visit:)

My brother, Tom, and his daughter, Madyson

Other huge news: My sister and her husband are moving to Japan this year to become missionaries! This is both exciting and sad....I was joking with my family, saying that we're doing some sort of 'rotation'. I move back to the US, they move overseas, and my brother and his family are moving to Abilene (where my sister and her family live now). But don't expect me to move back to Abilene!!!! Anyway, I think this is a good opportunity for them. Neither one of them has lived abroad. Nick grew up in Texas, and has always had an affinity for Japanese culture. Japan is really different from Texas!! It will most likely be scary for the first few months, but I'm sure they will do fine:) Depending on how things fall for me, I'd love to travel in Asia for a month before heading on back to start job hunting. If that happens, then I'll hop on over to Japan for a visit:) It'll be sad not to see Lucy grow up in front of us....we'll see her through home videos and photos, and hopefully Skype! She is such a ham!

Lucy

Video of Lucy giving me open-mouthed kisses....too hilarious!

Well, apart from all of that, I had an awesome Christmas vacation in Texas. I think my dad really enjoys that first week and a half when I'm jet-lagged and waking up at 4 am! It gives him someone to talk to so early in the morning! Plus I know he is just dying to show me up on the Word Jumble puzzle in the paper each day! He loves to ask for the letters so he can write them down and figure them out before I do....then he casually says, 'I got it', while I stare blankly at the jumbled letters. My vocabulary has gone WAY down! Dang second language is screwing me up!

I was the official gift-buyer and wrapper this Christmas season, which I loved. It's my favorite time of the year, and I love getting into the spirit of the season!

Christmas at my dad's

I hope all of you had wonderful holidays, and that getting back to work wasn't too painful;)