Let's start with last year... 2010
A good chunk of time at home, playing with horses and donkeys, my first Christmas back after moving to San Diego.
2009
Getting ready to move to San Diego-- a Christmas tinged with anticipation, as I finished raising support, packed up the Corolla and started across the country on December 27th. It was also the first Christmas after the death of my aunt Becky, so we were all navigating holiday grieving. But on the plus side, Jack graduated from college!
Just coming off my first big house-sitting gig (of several) in Tennessee, I was trying to figure out what on earth to do with my life. I had just visited San Diego and started conversations with CRM; I was enrolling as an Inquirer for ordination with the PC(USA). I worked part-time doing odd jobs-- everything from farm work to office help to Spanish translation. (I think that was the year of 5 or 6 W-2 statements!)
2007
I needed a break from Miami sunshine. And a break from an exhausting job in economic development, serving with the Young Adult Volunteer program. (In the picture you can see, celebration of winter holidays is a strange, strange affair in South Florida.)
2006
I had just finished my final semester at Williams! I spent January doing a horse-training internship. I thought I might get a nonprofit job in the northeast. It wasn't to be. I moved back home to Tennessee, worked part-time, and started going on adventures...
Zooming back to the present-- 2011
I'll be returning home to Tennessee with the man I'm going to marry. Seriously. The man I didn't know existed a year ago.
Conclusion: Life is funny. I feel better having all that in perspective now. Next post: on cyclical spiritual development and patterns that God weaves into the daily details.