Today I am taking a special break from my usual "Writing Wednesday" post because my little nephew is turning 3 today.
This little boy means the world to me (as do my niece and other nephews) I am so happy to be sharing his birthday celebration with you my lovely readers.
Being Aunt Blaire is one of my favorite roles and even though I am far away from them they are always close to my heart.
It is Christmas time and I feel this a curious time of year, at least for me. It is a time of reflecting about the year that shortly ending and it is a time that we are preparing for the year to come.
Looking back at this year I feel this year has been filled a lot with my thesis...and maybe thats how it should have been but lately I have felt I spent so much energy, so much time, and devotion to it that I kind of lost focus on what the most important things are in my life. On mentally preparing this post I began to look through my photos (on Facebook) to remember all that has happened over this year. Some of the highlights have been getting to spend so much time with my family; I spent some time with my family in May, August, October and just recently when my parents came up here to see me present my thesis. If you don't know I live in Boston and my family lives all over so I usually see them only twice a year (minus skype dates) so I feel that has been really neat this year. Another highlight this year has been moving in with my current roommate and friend. Last year (until end of August) it was a struggle with my apartment. I never felt like my last place was home. Moving into my new place has felt like home the moment I started unpacking my boxes.
with niece and nephew in May
So as I began to think about 2014 and everything that happened, there have some parts of it I wish I could put behind me and never think about them again, but I know those moments have shaped me. And instead of looking at them with regret I am going to try to give them over to God and let him use them as moments of development. While 2014 has been a mix of both of ups and downs (as years are) it is what 2015 brings that I am most interested in.
Lately, I have been praying a lot to hear God's voice to feel his guidance but in reality I have felt distant from God. I know He is with me and He is the hope I have anchored my life to. Hebrews 10:23- Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful- has been a verse I have had to repeat to myself a lot through the year. I think it is more true lately as I am coming to terms with the fact I am done with school.
Birthday celebrations
For 23 some odd years, I have been a student and I have almost placed my identity in the fact I am a student. Especially in undergrad and grad school my life has been about the next homework assignment, the next chapter to read, and the next paper to write. In grad school I felt life was on hold until I finished school and sometimes I felt angry I couldn't do things because I was in school.
I have been praying for God to use me in such a way that I would make an impact in this world for Him. I have also been praying to hear God's voice and feel His guidance. But I have felt stuck and sometimes useless. I am not blaming Him for this... actually I am holding myself responsible. Because I know I have filled my life with clutter, I sought fulfillment from temporary things. So one thing I really hope for 2015 that He prune and cut things out of my life that are not from Him. This is going to take work on my end, because it is easy for me to turn on the TV, go on Facebook or Pinterest, listen to Spotify and block Him out. But I don't want to do that anymore.
Being a bride's maid in my friends wedding, in July.
On Monday I prayed:
Lord I pray you lead me. Lord there are so many big questions on my mind now. What do I do for a job? Where do I go from here? Lord I need your guidance with these questions. Lord, you are the only one that makes my life make sense and I pray oh Lord I pray you lead me on.
Then on Tuesday morning I read the passage:
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will. -Romans 12:2.
Visiting my sister's family in August...
Sadly my nephew was in the hospital.
With nephew in hospital I got to spend a lot
of time with niece... blessing in disguise
These things may not seem immediately linked but they are in my mind. I think one thing I really need in upcoming year is to renew my mind and heart in God. In that I believe I will be able to truly know what God wants from me. However, I have no idea what that looks like.
Over the fall my church went through a series called "Resistance" and it was about remembering why we have the Sabbath, a time of rest, a time of remembering what is important to us, and a time to remember what God has done for us, I think over the last year and especially this last fall I have kind of forgotten that. I say my faith, my friends and family are the most important things in my life... but I felt distant from those things. I have felt very much like I have been drifting through life, not really making connections. So, another thing I would like in 2015 is to really invest or reinvest in things that are important to me.
Here I want to say I am sorry to anyone that I was not there for over the last year...even if you understood why I am sorry I got so blocked by other things I could not see what was important.
Fancy night with roommate.
On the job front I will take my time to figure things out. Fortunately this year I have been blessed with two part time jobs that have really been relief when I have been stressed about money. I think it is important right now to get things worked out in my relationship with God... so I am not going to dwell on that.
I am thankful for this year I have had the support system (friends and family) that I have had. I don't know how I would have been able to get through the struggles I have gone through... and I promise I will not forget it.
I am excited to see what 2015 has in store for me and I am already starting to shape my New Year's resolutions.
1. Invest or re-invest in the relationships I have
2. Work on transforming my mind in order to understand God's purpose for my life.
Those are 2 pretty big things so I will leave it at that for now... if I fail I will (with God) pick back up and try again.
There are other things I am looking forward to as well in 2015.
1. My sister and brother-in-law are expecting their third baby... from the pics above you can see they make cuties so I am excited for this new little one.
their birth announcement.
2. My mom and I have been dreaming about and plotting a trip to Paris and now done with school, we have been planning one for May.
Mom and I from recent trip to Boston
3. Also I have been thinking about going on another short-term missions trip. I remember how impacting my trip to Honduras was and my church does a trip to the Dominican Republic every year and watching the videos of the trips have made me want to go.
4. I am also looking forward to getting back into doing some of my own fun writing. Though I might be writing more with pen and paper than typing... my eyes are getting tired looking at word document.
So I love my birthday, not because of the gifts, but because it means my friends (from all the different parts of my life) get together and it is lots of fun. I have had some friends that have been in my life for a long time so we have lots of birthday memories together (LOVE!). This year has been no different very memorable...
niece, sister, nephew and I
First lets go back to last Friday when I flew to my mom's house in the desert of California. We have had a very long winter here in Boston so it was nice to pull out my summer clothes and feel the very warm sun on my skin. Though it was mother's day my mom treated me to mother daughter pedicures and the woman giving me a pedicure asked "you're so pale where are you from?" "Boston," I said though being of Irish and English descent I will never be dark. My mom basically spoiled me for the week treating me to good dinners out and one of my favorite meals (Stuffed green peppers). She bought me some new cute shoes and a relaxing week (a massage, a few strawberry margaritas, and other treats). While the treats were good it was great to spend the week with my sister, niece and nephew. Also my Grandma made me dinner at her house and bought me my favorite cake (German Chocolate). So thanks mom and step-dad for the awesome treat of that week...
Awesome auntie time
with step-dad
Then when I got back to Boston I had a great dinner with some of my good girl friends where I got a some
bookish things and a Starbucks gift card. Then today I received a one year subscription to Netflix. Books, coffee and movies... my friends know me so well. Okay, I know I started out this post saying I don't care about the gifts and I really don't...a co-worker asked me "what I wanted?" and I couldn't think of anything. I feel so blessed that I can't think of anything I want. It is not about the gifts it is about having friends and family that I know that will love and support me.
However, I don't want anything materialistically my friend asked me at dinner "What is one thing I want to do this year?" And my answer is to finish my thesis and FINALLY graduate grad-school. I can't imagine my life not being a student but I sure would like to.
Here are some memorable birthdays since moving to Boston...
From top left down:
21st birthday dinner with friends and Dad, then getting baptized the next day... great to have dad for both occasions
Going to my first Red Sox game and it being Lester's no hitter
Graduating college a few days before my 23rd birthday.
It wasn't really for my birthday but my bible study went to Rochester, NY for the Lilac festival and it was around my birthday time so I remember it as my 24th birthday
Doing Karaoke for my 25th birthday
Birthday party to help me raise support to go to Honduras
Last year going to Newport with my mom and seeing the beautiful mansions.
As I have posted after visiting Newport I was quite inspired to write more of my story. The way I write is I have to write by hand and then I type it up. Well during the last month of school I did not get any fun writing done and then I did a lot of writing and now catching up on some typing. I will keep sharing chunks of my story as having you guys read my work keeps me motivated to finish.
So here we join Rose and her siblings after their younger sister, Georgina's fall in the creek. They have interrupted the luncheon Lord and Lady Welford are hosting and while Lord Welford looks at them as a nuisance, Lady Welford takes them under her wing.
I thought originally I was going to take this time to develop Rose and Kelby's relationship but as I was writing I began to develop Rose and Lady Welford's relationship. Rose does not have a close relationship with her mom and Lady Welford is so nourishing it will play a big role in Rose's future.
They all seemed to accept us eagerly into their company as we were a new novelty. Marcus and Daphne being the oldest were asked the most questions. As soon as it was known about Georgiana's fall they were all astounded and wished to know every detail. Then they asked after her well fair. Marcus gallantly told them most of the details. He graciously left out that I was panning for gold or that I ruined my dress. Next they wanted information about where are parents were and why we didn't have any adult supervision. Marcus and Parker stumbled over these explanations. I am not exactly sure how the conversation changed but soon they discovered Daphne had a skill for the piano and they pleaded her to play.
"Do you play Miss Rose?" Lady Welford asked.
"Very little. I don’t enjoy practicing. I think my fingers are too stubby."
This made Lady Welford and some of the other laugh.
"Well then how do you spend your time?"
"I like to read. I read probably more that I should."
"No one can read the more than they should, one should always be a great reader," Lady Welford said.
Lady Welford showed me a good deal of attention, which was unusual because unless I was getting in trouble by Nanny Alba for day dreaming in lessons most adults ignored me. I wasn't pretty child with soft brown hair and pale hazel eyes. The only thing I could think that distinguished me was a scar on my cheek from when I had the chicken pox. Lady Welford was so nice to me and I enjoyed the way she looked at me as if I was a piece of cake.
Doctor Gibson, told us Georgina was just fin and probably only needed rest. Lady Welford made sure she got it having a tray taken up for her to ear if she felt up to it and the most superior guest room made up for Georgiana. Lady Welford seamlessly entertained her guest and attended to Georgiana through the doctor and her instructions to Mrs. Banks. She also made sure to have some of our clothes sent from Cranston. Nanny Alba wrote that she was being too kind and that should come back home but Lady Welford did not agree with this plan. Cranston Court was truly her domain.
After the men had rejoined the women the luncheon transferred out to the gardens. Lady Welford had done some new landscaping in the gardens and was eager to show them off. She also invited her friends to take part in playing bad mitten and a game of croquet on the cleared lawns. Usually children would not be invited to these social functions but Lady Welford had insisted on our attending once we had changed into our own attire. Daphne was more than happy to accept.
I had hoped they would take us take us back to Aurora's room instead the maid took us to a guest room that was close to Georgiana's room. I guess the mystery of this was yet to be discovered.
"She is so refine," Daphne said about Lady Welford. "All the ladies are. They are so delightful."
I agreed they were all refine and eloquent.
Mother had eloquent friend but we were never allowed to interact with them, they were just names mother mentioned over lunch. At Southerton we were taught how to behave and how to interact with adults though we hardly ever did. We kept mostly to the nursery. Recently mother was asking for Daphne to sit with her friends at tea. Daphne was a few years from being presented, mother thought it was time she practice being a lady, and that meant sitting through tedious teas. Daphne never called them dreary though through her descriptions I found them wearisome. It was different with Lady Welford she wanted to hear about us and enjoyed listening to us. While she had plenty other guest I felt I was her most important priority and without noticing she had taken my hand in hers as if it were the most natural thing to do.
In my Birthday Weekend Away I wrote about my mom and I going to Newport for my birthday and I must say I loved my time away. Not only as a time to relax but as a time to live a bit in the past or at least explore past a bit. I must say as much as I was looking forward to seeing the Marble House, I fell in love with The Breakers. I found the whole weekend inspiring, most of the houses provided great detail for the Gilded Age and I wanted to take note of all the details. Fortunately my mom spoiled with buying me some new books so I can study more about this time period.
Sadly we cannot take pictures inside the house so I don't have any pictures of my own of the beautiful interiors but I do have some that my mom has posted.
my mom and I on the patio of The Breakers...
I have my head phones on for the guided tour.
At The Elms on a sunny warmer day
A posed picture of me outside The Elms
I feel quite inspired and now that school is out I can get some real writing done. Some of you know that I have to hand write my stories and then I type them up. Right now I am catching up on some of my typing. Will keep you posted on the work.
I am excited to say by the time you read this I will be off on vacation with my mom to celebrate my 27th birthday. My mom and I are heading down to Newport, RI to look at all the pretty mansions. As much as I love the Gilded Age I have not been down to the mansions.
I was watching another period drama (surprise, surprise) called The Buccaneers based off the Edith Wharton novel and the first part takes place in Newport; the characters actually go visit The Marble House and it looks so exquisite it I cannot wait to see it for myself I am sure I will be in awe this whole weekend.
I love my birthday, I know that sounds selfish when I say that because many people think when I say it is because I like gifts but that is not the case. I love it because I know it means I get a lot of my friends around me.
Over the years I have had great birthdays...
The day after 21st birthday I got baptized.
Then on my 22nd birthday I went to my first Red Sox game.
It had just happened to be Lester's no hitter.
Two days before my 23rd birthday I graduated college.
My 24th birthday was not that big...
My bible study went to Rochester, New York the week before.
I know it was not for my birthday but I still remember it as part of my birthday celebration.
We discovered the love of a jumping pillow,
probably our favorite memory from the trip.
Then on my 25th birthday I did something I have always wanted to do...
Karaoke.
My friend told me my 25th birthday was the last "big" birthday I get before I turn 30, I didn't like that thinking because I love my birthday and I can make them big if I want to. Well last night I had an early celebration to my birthday that was just as big and memorable as the others. As most of you know I have been raising funds for my Honduras trip in August. In March I wrote a post about what my birthday wish was.... "For my birthday I want people to give to Living Water International click here for the Donation page and if you want to learn more about Living Water click here. If you want to support me and my trip to Honduras please contact me, but as I am not 100% certain I will go I would like it more if you guys would directly give money to Living Water International."
At that time I was not sure I could go on a trip with Living Water. But now that I am going I have asked people for my birthday to give me funds for my trip. Well there as been an out pouring of generosity. My birthday party last night was in order to raise support for my trip, I did I raised 585 dollars making my new total of support at $1,885, meaning I only need 115 dollars left to raise. WOOHOO!!!
Me with my fundraising poster
Outside the money raised it was a great success. As my place is too small to host a party my friend let me use her place to host a party, and my best friend made and bought all the food for the party. Then about 20 people showed up and every one had a good time. So I will put this birthday in the book as another "big" birthday.
Some of my friends sorry it is blurry
The cake my best friend made in the shape of a water drop.
For more on my trip to Honduras follow my Blaire goes to Honduras Blog thanks for all the love, memories, and support. It has meant the world to me.
I love the movie so much that when I went to Rome, I tried to find the exact seat she sat on at the Spanish steps so I could say I sat in the same place as Audrey Hepburn.
This is me on the steps.
Here are some of my other favorite movies/photos of Audrey Hepburn.
I know Audrey Hepburn lived in Holland during WWII. Trained to be a ballerina but she was too tall to be a prima ballerina and never trained to be an actress. Later on went to be Good Will Ambassador for UNICEF.
Writing this post and finding these pictures and clips reminds me just how beautiful she was inside and out. She only made 27 films but she probably the most known actress in the world.
Looking back at this year I feel this year has been filled a lot with my thesis...and maybe thats how it should have been but lately I have felt I spent so much energy, so much time, and devotion to it that I kind of lost focus on what the most important things are in my life. On mentally preparing this post I began to look through my photos (on Facebook) to remember all that has happened over this year. Some of the highlights have been getting to spend so much time with my family; I spent some time with my family in May, August, October and just recently when my parents came up here to see me present my thesis. If you don't know I live in Boston and my family lives all over so I usually see them only twice a year (minus skype dates) so I feel that has been really neat this year. Another highlight this year has been moving in with my current roommate and friend. Last year (until end of August) it was a struggle with my apartment. I never felt like my last place was home. Moving into my new place has felt like home the moment I started unpacking my boxes.
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