SweetThunder413: REFLECT on the past, RELISH the present and REJOICE in the future

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Ringing in 2018 in MALAYSIA!

REFLECT: It is always cathartic for me to journey through the past year and remember events, places, and treasured people. Taking an inventory of your life is a valuable lesson and one I sometimes forget to do. To say I lead a blessed life is an understatement. Never would I have dreamed that I would be in a profession that I love, be able to travel the world AND meet amazing people along the way. I love my life! Two years ago I spent New Year's Eve climbing a very large table-like mountain in South Africa and last year I was ringing in the New Year with my Ghana bestie and her family in Fort Worth, Texas. Just a couple of weeks ago, I rang in the New Year with friends, fun, and fireworks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!

"We don't need the cable car, let's HIKE Table mountain," said no one ever! 2016

Fort Worth FUN ringing in 2017

RELISH: I am so thankful to have friends and family at home that give me roots all the while encouraging my wanderlust and adventurous spirit to live and work overseas. Without the first part of this equation, my journey to other countries and various places would not be as fulfilling. I am so grateful for my family that accepts my lifestyle, endures late or early conversations on Skype or FT and are always willing to dive into QUALITY time when I am home. Being overseas for eight years has afforded me the gift of friends all over the world, but I am most grateful for those "bosom buddies" as Anne Gables would say. Those people who know all about me and love me just the same. The confidants who have weathered storms, breakups, celebrations and downtime. Those people who I am happy to say, "let's do LIFE together."

Friends and family were very important to me in 2017 since I took a break from teaching for the first time in 13 years. The circumstances were not ideal, but they did seem to fall into place. I was especially grateful to my cousin and her husband for helping me find a job in insurance at Allstate. I learned a lot about myself through this process and am more convinced than ever that teaching is what I was made to do. Half of 2017 was spent in Fort Worth, TX and the other half in Suwon, South Korea.

My musings are mostly therapy for my soul, but if you are curious - here's a glimpse of my year! REJOICE, REJOICE, REJOICE!

January - March 2017: During these months I spent Christmas with family in Texas. I was so fortunate to spend quality time with my brother, Granny, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I continued my work in sales at Kennedy Allstate Agency and I have to say that I couldn't have survived the year without my friend Megan. We were soul sisters from the very beginning and I am so blessed that she is part of my TX journey. In February I ran the Hot Chocolate 5K with my friend Andrea and the month of March involved playing the 2nd season with my adult volleyball team. We came in 1st place and 2nd place respectively!

The traditional family pyramid

T-shirts and shorts and volleyball on Christmas day

Allstate Christmas party with Megan and Laurel

"You are in good hands with Allstate"

The things I do for HOT CHOCOLATE

Powderpuff girls for volleyball party

#1 in the league

April - May 2017: Two very busy months as I accepted a job overseas teaching in South Korea and created a Texas bucket list. Many things were on my list, but some of the big ones that I was able to cross off: going to a rodeo (even though I am allergic to horses), traveling to Fredricksburg, TX for a wine weekend, visiting the Magnolia Silos in Waco, TX, going to the Fort Worth Gardens, Fort Worth Zoo, various churches and cathedrals, and hiking. Also, I threw a baby shower for my friend Vania and both my Dad and step-mom and Mom came to TX to visit and help celebrate my brother's big 30!

Wine tasting with the girls

Valinda, Andrea, Rachel and I

The red and blue poppies of Texas

Baby shower for Vania and baby Mika

The mommy-to-be and the hosts

Coming soon....June 2017

Magnolia market in Waco, Texas

Bummed I didn't see Chip and Joanna Gaines :(

My Dad and step-mom surprised my brother for his birthday

My first rodeo EVER

The only horse that doesn't give me allergies

Great time spent with the family

My mom came for a visit - hip, hip, hooray!

Fort Worth botanical gardens

My mom and I went to several cathedrals that were on my TX bucket list

Mother and daughter hiking - it's a tradition!

June, July and August 2017: These months involved so many things: finishing up my job in Texas and saying goodbye to my cousins Khris and Valinda, saying goodbye to my church family 7 City and my awesome small group members, visiting with my friend Julie in PA and loving on her girls, going to the lake with family and fishing and skiing with my nieces and nephews, taking a sunset cruise with my Dad and step-mom, going on walks with my momma, getting to celebrate my birthday early with my Granny (we were born on the same day) and then being treated on my birthday in Chicago with my friend Diana and her daughter Ashley. Taking my role as Aunt Misty very seriously with my friend Julie and her kids in Memphis, TN, meeting my friend Vania's baby Mika for the first time, having QT with my friend Rachel before she got married, traveling to Cincinnati for less than 48 hours to see all my AMAZING co-workers from Amelia Middle School, having dinner with my bestie Allison the night before I flew to Korea and seeing a childhood friend that I have not seen in 20 + years and catching up like it was yesterday! The memories were SWEET to say the least!
On July 31st I boarded a plane and headed to Seoul, South Korea to start my 8th year of teaching overseas and my 13th year of teaching in total.

Sad saying goodbye to my cousins

Loved some time with baby Mika before I left Texas

Kelly helped lead my small group and was my favorite walking buddy!

Auntie Misty with the PA nieces

Auntie Misty with the TN nieces

BIRTHDAY in Chicago

July 9th - Me and my Granny - both born on the SAME day!

Loved seeing my Bolivian BFF Rachel

Been doing funny faces for 7 years

My brother Nathan and sister Shana

Dad, stepmom and Shana going on a sunset cruise

Chloe caught a fish, but wouldn't touch it

My nephew Miles and Jake

Mother/sister time

Less than 48 hours in Cincinnati to see my AMS crew! Love these people!

Spent my last night in the US with my best friend Allison

Reconnected with a dear childhood friend - Kristi

Happy 13th year of teaching

GSIS 2017

South Korea round 2

September - October 2017: These were big TRAVEL months for me. September was spent getting adjusted to Korea round two, meeting new colleagues and exploring the city of Suwon. Chusok break is the Korean Thanksgiving and we were blessed to have 10 days of vacation during this time. I spent the first part of my vacation being a tourist in Seoul and then I traveled to Busan, South Korea with 2 of my friends that I used to work with at Seoul Foreign School and several of my new friends from GSIS. In October, I traveled with the girls Varsity volleyball team to Hong Kong and helped coach a tournament.

Korea loves their socks

New teachers and coffee

OLD and NEW colleagues and former students

Beautiful Suwon

Seoul Foreign School reunion

New school, new friends

Hiking the Seoul Fortress wall

Just a girl and a temple

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Guards and flags

Headed to BUSAN for Chusok break 2017

Busan, South Korea

They wanted to pose for this picture

Chingus

POOP bread - yes, it is really a thing

Korean SPA day

Some things never change

Busan strong

Haeundae Beach

Busan skyline

A girl and her oden (fish cake on a stick)

Did someone say VACATION?

Starbucks is a must

Just posing on some golden pigs

The Olympics mascot

The girls on the subway in Hong Kong

Volleyball and dumplings

November - December 2017: Wrapped up 2017 soaking up the Fall colors in Korea, attended a conference in Shanghai, China, had a delicious Korean BBQ Thanksgiving, joined in some Christmas festivities, experienced SNOWY Korea and then ended my year on a beach in Malaysia.