Sunday, December 31, 2017

New Years Tag

What do you do when you haven't blogged in months and the number of posts for the year is half the size of any other year, but yet you don't have any great wisdom or amusing topics to write about? Fill out a tag, of course, and share it with the followers who are left.

What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?
2017 was a big year for me. 

  • In April, a friend and I performed a short scene for judges at an Arts Festival competition... thing. 
  • In June, I had a job as the recess teacher for a three-day homeschool conference, which was the most authority I've ever had (in charge of teenaged-helpers and up to 20-some kids at a time). I made mistakes, but both learned from and enjoyed the experience. 
  • In July, I tried two new gluten free recipes, éclairs and croissants respectively. Both were fairly successful.
  • In August, I participated in starting a student organization at my town's university, that works with our pregnancy care center.
  • In September, I went to a Tchaikovsky opera with my mom, which was wonderful. I love opera and Tchaikovsky is my favorite music writer. I have long wanted to see Eugene Onegin.
  • Throughout the year, my sister and my twin's sister were pregnant at the same time, which was almost as cool as being pregnant simultaneously ourselves (a goal of ours).

Did you keep your New Years Resolutions, and will you make one this year?
I don't remember if I made any — I think I resolved to get more in shape. The first three months of the year I exercised pretty faithfully, then graduation happened — and college — and now I'm making the same resolution again (though I did walk more on campus/to and from the bus). But I don't actually like the New Years resolution thing, because I feel that hardly anyone keeps them for more than a month. So it's actually depressing to call it a resolution.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Well, I'm glad you asked! My oldest sister gave birth to my first nephew, Frederic, on December 22. Yes, I will share a picture. Or four.




(I was kind of kidding about four, but then I found myself physically unable to post any fewer.)

What countries/states did you visit?
Georgia and South Carolina, which were firsts (unless you count layovers), and Nebraska and Iowa, which weren't.

What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
More patience.

What date from 2017 will remain etched in your memory?
December 22. No reason. 


Did you move anywhere?
No, thank heaven. I love my room and my family. You'd have to pay ME to get me in a dorm.


What was the best month?
Hm, probably February, because I was in school and enjoying drama and the things I was learning. 

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Completing my first semester of college.

What was your biggest failure?
Not trusting God.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
In the past week I have stubbed both of my smallest toes. One's nail is black and the other is bruised. 

What was the best thing you bought?
Probably a grey wool sweater from eBay. I already had one and liked it, but the old one was too small.

What did you want and get?
I was very blessed to receive many things. My mother gave me a grey floral duvet for Christmas, various friends and family gave me many books throughout the year, and I got to go to two Regency dances.

What did you want and not get?
I wanted to get 100% on my history final and didn't. I still got an A, so it's only my pride that cares. (N.B. Figuring out different professors' grading systems, and what the relation of "42 out of 50" has to A's and B's and how that in turn corresponds to the 3.25, 3.75, 4.0 and etc. system has been is tricky for this homeschooler.)



Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My mom. She's awesome. She spends one day a week babysitting my niece, and the rest of the week keeping the household going, thinking about all ours needs and desires, and has a part time job (her own business, which means of course that it's really more like full time). She finds time to be so thoughtful, unexpectedly buying me tea or bringing home clothes for one of us when she goes to the thrift store. She's also very patient with my stressing and overreacting.

Where did most of your money go?
Hm, probably edibles (by tea leaf, or by having snacks/drinks with friends), tho' a large portion went to school books.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My nephew! Did I mention him? I was really excited about a Hobbit themed English Country dance, to which I traveled with my twin, and excited-nervous for college starting.



What was the best book you read?
Assuming this means book I haven't read before... Perilous Gard or The Secret Adversary.

What were your favourite films of the year?
Of films I saw that came out in 2017, hands down I must answer Murder on the Orient Express. Of films I saw for the first time that came out other years, it's a tie between A United Kingdom (2016) and Hidden Figures (2016). (Honorable mention: Belle (2013)).



Favourite TV show?
If you can't BBC miniseries (I don't really watch TV), then Bleak House.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
I didn't discover it, but my sister found [and shared] this with me:



I've never liked the song, but I do enjoy the Andrews Sisters, so I've been listening to it a lot throughout the holiday season.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
Classic English vintage. 




What kept you sane?
The Lord. I would be a tangle of anxiety without being able to tell Jesus everything.

Who did you miss?
My family. Even though I live at home, college work is a lot more time-consuming than homeschooling.

Who was the best person you met?
Marce, the very sweet assistant of my chiropractor, who happens to be a Christian and share some of my dietary restrictions.

What do you wish you'd done more of?
Write. At this time last year I was a chapter away from finishing my King Arthur novel, and I've written about 1000 words since then.



What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stress less. I seriously stressed about graduation and college and scholarships and homework and growing up, when I should have trusted God.

What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I turned eighteen. Coming a few days after my graduation, it was a pretty quiet, relaxed birthday. One of my friends surprised me by showing up with a London fog (my favorite hot drink to purchase) and framed picture of the two of us graduating. My mum and I took a walk on a trail, and returned home to eat Hungarian hazel nut cake and a Mexican casserole. While it was a nice day, I remember feeling a slight oppression of spirits, caused by the sadness of growing older. J. M. Barrie says that two is the beginning of the end. Eighteen is also a significant marker, and while I'm not so silly as to start talking of being on the shelf and loosing my bloom, I did feel that from then on, things would not be the same.

How did you spend Christmas?
We went to Christmas Eve service Sunday morning. After coming home we relaxed and prepared food for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner (chocolate and cheese fondu, summer sausage, crackers, fruit and raw vegetables) and Christmas morning breakfast (egg casserole and bubble bread). Making gluten free bubble/monkey bread was fun. Christmas morning we relaxed at home and opened presents, then headed over to my oldest sister's house to exchange gifts with them and see the kids.

How are you going to spend New Years?
Most likely, hanging out with my awesome parents. 



Tell a valuable lesson learned in 2017.
I learned how much I need the Church. I have long felt that I sometimes learn better when I'm at home in my room praying quietly than attending youth group or church services. I have also thought that because there is such a great demand for missionaries, it would make more sense for missionaries  to spread out, rather than going in groups. This fall, for the first time I spent five days a week surrounded by non-Christians, taking classes that were focused on man's achievements instead of God's (most of my school curriculums to date being Christian), and for the first time in four years the only Christian group I was a part of was Sunday church service (which I grew to love even more). I felt the lack of community and realized as never before how much I need my brothers and sisters. It then occurred to me that as a missionary of course I will spend most of every day with non-Christians. While I believe it is possible to do good and grow in faith alone, we are more healthy and more effective when connected to other Christ followers.

Five personally significant events of 2017:
1. My first nephew was born.
2. I graduated.
3. I turned eighteen.
4. I completed my first college semester.
5. I took violin for six months.

Five things you want to do in 2018:
1. Commit my troubles to God instead of worrying.
2. Drink tea.
3. Finish The Silmarilion! Seriously, Awdur, you planned to finish last summer.
4. Do five French review lessons every week.
5. Pray for the persecuted church more faithfully.



And that, my lovely people, is that.

Awdur