It's not often that I post these. Actually, it's very rare. But a friend of mine recently posted her annual "Year Reflection Questionaire"...and I thought it appropriate for me this year given that 2012 was a big year for me. So, here goes.




2012

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before? Live more than 500 miles away from my family.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I typically don't make any new year's resolutions. I think the biggest one is simply just to pursue my relationship with God even further, and everything else will fall into place.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes. My girl Kerin gave birth to her "miracle" baby boy.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No.

5. What countries did you visit? None. Though I traveled across half the country this year!

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012? I'm not really sure. I would like many things, but mostly just a solid job, finances and housing.



7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? July 31 - the date I arrived in California to begin my residency in the Golden Coast State.






8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Moving cross-country.

9. What was your biggest failure? Losing my job. Not fun, but it lead to a great life-change.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing other than a cold or two, thank goodness.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My Macbook Pro and my iPhone! Oh, and a plane ticket home for Christmas!






12. Whose behavior merited celebration? These questions are so difficult to answer. I suppose I could list off many of my dancers and gymnasts who have grown, both developmentally and socially.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Again, these questions are just too tough to answer. I work with children ages 3-15, so there will always be moments I go "You're kidding me, right?" But you correct their behavior and move on.






14. Where did most of your money go? Bills. Bills bills and more bills. (Part of paying the price for attending a private Christian college.)

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Abigail's wedding celebrations! Moving. :-) And then, 5 months later, being able to come home! Also, whenever anybody came to visit me in LA!

16. What song will always remind you of 2012? Gangnam Style, obviously. Otherwise, any of the songs we're doing for dance or gymnastics.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier or sadder? Slightly happier, I suppose. Homesick, but also confident that God has placed me in California.






18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I could have had the money to take more dance classes at Edge. It's a pleasure to teach, but part of teaching is also keeping up and pushing yourself technically and artistically, as well, and that includes taking classes. I also wish I would have been able to see more of my friends and spend quality time with them. I don't take any moment with friends and family for granted.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Worrying and complaining (even if just in my head). Mainly about finances and life situations.

20. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas Eve - traveling! From LAX to Denver (with a 3-hour layover in which I wandered throughout basically the entire airport), then onto Sioux Falls, from Sioux Falls to Watertown. Once I was home, I enjoyed my walk around the neighborhood staring at the glittering snow covering the ground and the Christmas lights adorning the houses. Then we headed to a Christmas eve service, which is probably one of my favorite things - candles in the dark singing Silent Night? Can't beat it. Then I was blessed to be able to spend Christmas with my immediate family, grandmother, whom we were able to bring to the house from the nursing home, and Ruth (the 'other other' sister.)

21. How will you spend New Years? (though it's already past) It was spent at my grandparents' farm in northern Minnesota, with my grandparents, aunts, cousins, and immediate family. We played games until about 10:45, watched the ball drop for NY time, then went to bed! We were all pooped.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Always and forever: FRIENDS. But, thanks to Ruth, I've now added White Collar and Psych to my repertoire. (And can't forget my ongoing love-affair with Castle.)

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No. Silly question.

24. What was the best book you read? Am I too Christian if I say the Bible? In all honesty, I can't tell you how much of a joy and comfort its brought to my life this year compared to other years. This has been one of the most trying years for me, but my faith in My God has grown immeasurably because I have begun being much more consistent in my daily Bible studies. Aside from the "Christian" answer, I can't recall a specific one I've loved, but I continue to read as much Susan May Warren and Dee Henderson as I can. If you need a book to read, you can't go wrong with those two authors! (I'm currently rereading Susan May Warren's Deep Haven series.)


25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Too many! Lindsey Stirling, The Piano Guys. I discovered Sara Jackson-Holman last year, but she came out with a new album recently.

26. What did you want and got? aside from a new computer and the iphone, I really just wanted to live in a place I enjoy. I miss Minnesota and the Twin Cities immeasurably, and I miss being close to my family and friends even more. However, I know and am confident that living in SoCal is exactly what I need right now, and I am taking pleasure in being so close of a drive to the ocean.






27. What was your favorite film of this year? I don't think I saw many movies, but The Avengers was SO GREAT. I'm still debating about how I feel about The Hobbit, though it's definitely a positive experience either way.

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 25. I watered my mom's garden, dropped by the house my best friend and other friends moved into and discovered they were gone... and got a text from them saying "We're at Wal-mart right now, you can't come with." But it all ended just fine, since I returned after they were back and sent me a text saying it was safe to return.
I was greeted with an "Avengers" themed birthday! Including an avengers gift bag, one Avengers t-shirt, another t-shirt with a button that when pressed, talked or made noises akin to Iron Man (my favorite Avenger), an Iron Man cup, and most importantly, Iron Man 1 & 2. I also got another perfect and beautiful card from my bestie.


We proceeded to watch the movies. And as I returned to my car, I discovered they had toilet-papered it. I have such nice friends. ;-)




29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? More Satisfying? That's intense. And I think that one comes down to attitude.
My big thing for me I've learned is simply being satisfied in Christ. Satisfying with what he has planned for me right now. I'm learning not to plan out my life and be disappointed when I realize I'm not where I thought I wanted to be. But I'm exactly where God wants me to be, and that has given me the most comfort and satisfaction throughout the year.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012? Moving to California, I feel like I've retained my "classic" taste, but it's been a little more "casualized" if you will. With such a laid-back atmosphere, I've found myself wearing things with a bit more of a beachy/earthy tone, which I normally don't do. I also have acquired many more scarves.

31. What kept you sane? Two things, both stemming from one: My relationship with God. A) Scripture. I think I soaked up more scripture than ever before this year. B) My friends and family. I have great friends that encourage and challenge me in my faith. Friends I'd talk to in tears this summer when I needed encouragement and reassurance. I have a family that understands "the call." They understand what it means to do things that make no logical sense because God has called you to do so. And lastly, friends in California that allow me to talk about Minnesota practically incessantly (though I'm sure there are groans and rolling of eyes) and friends that simply love me.






32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? If I had to choose one? Probably Christian Ponder or Adrian Peterson. From what I've seen, they've both grown immensely as athletes, and they are growing in faith with God.

33. What political issue stirred you the most? It has for quite some time, and will probably always do so: gay marriage. I have my reasons of why I'm against it, and if you wish to discuss/understand my decision further, it will be in another post. But really, it all stems from my growing frustration of my generation's sense of "Self-entitlement" and "Do what feels good." ..that everyone deserves things (not just addressing gay marriage.)

34. Who did you miss? Everyone back home. I am so blessed as to currently be writing this as I sit at home and my family is upstairs...my best friend and other close friends just a mile away, and having recently seen or will be seeing other close friends from Minnesota. But mostly my family. I've missed joking with my sister, hugging my dad and mom, and movie/massage nights with my bff. And that will continue to be so.

35. Who was the best new person you met? Wow! That's hard because I've met many new awesome people. I think basically anyone in the Emmaus group would be in this category.

36. Tell us some valuable life lessons you learned in 2012:


A) Giving up your life to be a living chess-piece in God's plan, especially when you don't know why he moved you? Taking a leap of faith in God when he does move you? Very very difficult. But entirely worth it in so many ways.


B) Working hard. Giving your all in everything you do.
C) When you spent more of your life immersed in scripture, it improves your outlook on life dramatically.

I think I simply just learned a lot about myself in this year, too.