Christmas, New Years, Ducks, and Cake

Hello all my missed siestas, miestas, lurkers, and individuals who'd given up hope of me returning back to blogworld. I've missed you! And come to the valid conclusion that y'all have made me that much weirder than I already am. For during my absence from you, many of you would come to mind, heart, and prayer...though only through your blognames or blog titles - not your real names. I am not sure that I even have all of your real names memorized, and I've decided I'm not going to try. You are what you are to my heart, so there you go.

Anyway! I'm not going to type much here since I've been out of commission for over a month. A post that would adequately cover such a time period would bore me to tears and surely send you to the store to buy a gallon of ice cream as a means of comf0rt to get through it. BUT, I will just insert some pictures from the past month and a half, and you can catch up with me that way, m'kay? I love you all! And am working on a post to deliver to you in the next few days - thank you for being patient with me. And thank you for your encouragement. Y'all are such a blessing. I love you dearly.

Christmas Party at the end of the semester: Shaney, me, and Natalie (all southern girls). Location: South Hamilton, MA
Wedding #1 back at home upon leaving school: me, Ashley, and Wendi (I've known these dear girls since I was 5 years old. It was a precious blessing to get to be in a wedding together with them for one of our friends.) Nate and I attended another wedding that same day, but I was too tired to even take pictures in that one (which means I'm WAY tired.). Location: Jekyll Island, GA
Tina-Marie (Nate's sister-in-law), me, and Anna (Nate's sister) around the days of Christmas. I met his entire family for the first time, and look...I'm still smiling and functioning. No seriously - they're amazing and wonderful. Explains him very well. Location: Panama City, FL
Luke (Nate's brother), Ivan (his Dad), Nathanael (which they call him, and I tease him about), and his brother-in-law Todd. This picture just makes me laugh b/c he and his Dad are both wearing zipped hooded navy blue jackets. He's already become his Dad huh? :) . Location: Panama City, FL
My other boyfriend - Mac - and I kissing over New Year's Eve :) Location: Greenville, SC

Me and my man over New Year's. Location: Greenville, SC (And yes all my much-needed spiritual mama's out there - we are wonderful. He is wonderful. And I still have the stupid-love face on. He's leaving Sunday to be in Thailand for 3 weeks, so I'd cherish your prayers for him. And me - so that I don't go get that gallon of ice-cream I mentioned earlier.)

All the boys, and me, during the days of duck-hunting after New Year's. Clarification: They got up at 5 am each day to go, and returned home as I was waking up :) I didn't feel left-out at all: I had several good books, chocolate-covered nuts, my pajamas, and my Jesus with whom to bond. Location: Wynne, Arkansas.

My favorite view on campus. This is what Boston welcomed me back with upon return. Apparently, it thought I would miss the cold. It's 4 degrees here today - don't even get me started.

My birthday was this past Sunday. So, Saturday night a big group of us went cosmic candlepin bowling. Translation: cosmic = black light, disco balls, and all oldies music. I was loving it, and didn't care if it felt a bit middle-school'ish. Candlepin bowling = They use bowling balls about the size of a grapefruit, and skinny taller pins that they expect you to be able to hit with the small bowl. Riiiight! lol. Mandy treated me to a quality chick-flick the next day (long overdue), Nate sent me flowers and chocolate-covered strawberries (my favorite...he's a good man), and the girls celebrated over me to such a foolish extent, that I was left outright embarrassed. I just had to get under it, and receive it as straight from my Father's hand (which is what I believe it was). Because y'all know how I don't like receiving any attention for crying out loud.

Okay, you survived. That's it! Finals, 2 weddings, snow storms, a new family, 25 years of age, and 4 states later, you're up to date :) I love y'all