It's Been a While

Yes, I know. It’s been almost a month since my last post. Let’s just say it was a very busy, exciting month where I was more focused on living my life than writing about it.

That being said, I guess a new post is more than overdue. So much has happened in the past month, I hardly know where to start. I got to go home for Christmas (for the 2 people out there reading this who didn’t know that already) —actually I got home the day after Christmas, but that’s a minor detail. It was exciting to see my family and friends. It was also amazing to see the generosity of some anonymous donor in my HK church who bought me the ticket home and the way that God works in ways that we would never expect to take care of us.

The Wilsons left for Guatemala since my last post (for anyone who doesn’t know, my uncle, aunt, and 6 cousins are now full-time missionaries to Guatemala). Their departure was sad and exciting at the same time. It wasn’t as hard for me because I’ve been gone for 3 and a half years (and the realization that if I hadn’t gotten to go home for Christmas, I would have been informed through an email or facebook that they had left helped keep my emotions at bay too), but there were [almost] no dry eyes at the Knudsen’s house as the Wilson family departed for the airport.

I also got to see how Christmas is celebrated by a different family in another part of the world. The Beselts, a family from my church in Hong Kong, took me in as one of their own children (bringing the total to 5) for Christmas this year. The Beselts were actually celebrating their family’s Christmas Eve on Christmas Day, since Dean, the father, is a pilot, and his flight didn’t get in until the afternoon of Christmas Day. We celebrated by going to see their youngest daughter, Jane (who is 14), perform in a professional production of the Nutcracker. Believe it or not, this was my first time ever seeing the Nutcracker. After the ballet, we went to the mall (which was open on Christmas) to get some supplies for Christmas Eve dinner, which consisted of a variety of breads and crackers, a variety of cheeses to put on the bread and crackers, and some raw salmon (which was so good). We then watched the Flinstones Christmas show and White Christmas, a Beselt family Christmas Eve family tradition. Each of the kids got to open one gift (their own copy of the Flinstones Christmas show on DVD, so when they have families of their own they can continue the tradition). It was a fun night, and I am so thankful to this family for taking care of me while I am so far from home.

Speaking of traditions, I got to decorate gingerbread houses at the Roix’s house and play in the annual New Years Day football game while I was home. The Scott brother rivalry was heated at football, and a good time was had by all. At the Roix’s, a large portion of Ashley Bouraphael and Kelsey Rudolph’s house was eaten by yours truly in retaliation for Ashley feeding my gingerbread children to her brother last year. Despite all Ashley’s threats of retaliation and assurances that she could be mean if she wanted to, Kelsey ended up being the one who tried to take out revenge on my house, a move which left her with a bloody knuckle (and that’s why you don’t mess with my gingerbread house!).

Sorry for the obnoxiously long post and the fact that I haven’t posted in so long. I hope everyone is doing well. Bye.