Merry Christmas!

This has definitely been one of the weirdest Christmas’ of my life, and yet has been really fun!

Here is a Christmas kiss to you! Hopefully it’ll make it to your end of the world, wherever you are. I took this last night before our Christmas Eve dinner.

Almost everyone dressed up, we ate on pretty tables with red tablecloths and candy and candles, which was so special since we are never ever allowed candles on the ship, so it was great. Everyone was happy and looked beautiful.

Here is a group of us girls posing for a lovely Christmas photo

I switched cubicles in my room this week because one of my roommates moved out and her cubicle was slightly bigger, so I moved over! I’m not quite moved, but I did most of my decorating and made my bed. I still have to move all my clothes and clean and stuff, but soon it’ll be home.

I I bought this picture this week. Both my mom and my sister have this picture, so it was kind of special to see it and buy it. I miss you both, but somehow it made my room extra nice!

These things now, this is Christmas. They’re not like the ones at home since here they don’t have chocolate in them, but it seemed like the right thing to do.

This lovely package came a while ago and I forced myself to save it until Christmas Day. It was definitely hard to do. There were days when I was so homesick that I needed to open it, but I knew that I would regret it on Christmas Day when I didn’t have anything to open.

Thank you dear Family!

However, I did have some other things to get. A tradition here on the ship is to put our your shoe on Christmas Eve in the evening and then wake to find gifts outside your door.

I had so much fun going around and filling my friends shoes and giving gifts.
I have never felt so satisfied by giving. Though simple. Just mini chocolates, pens, note pads, cookies, stickers. Yet it was suprisingly special.

I also got a lot of fun things. Some candy, chocolate, soap, gift certificate to the ship shop, and socks. Very fun!
My sister send me a great little gift of two Christmas cd’s. I am definitely enjoying them as I write this.

I wish you all the most merry and special Christmas that you can have. I miss you all so very very much and will see most of you in four months!

Be near me, Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children In Thy tender care

And take us to Heaven To live with Thee there

Christmas?

What if ribbons and bows didn't mean a thing

Would the song still survive without five golden rings

Would you still wanna kiss without misletoe

What would happen if God never let it snow

What would happen if Christmas carols told a lie

Tell me what would you find

You'd see that today holds something special

Something holy, not superficial

So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives

It's something we all try to ignore

And put a wreath up on your door

So here's something you should know that is for sure

Christmas must be something more

What if angels did not pay attention to

All the things that we wished they would always do

What if happiness came in a cardboard box

Then I think there is something we all forgot

What would happen if presents all went away

Tell me what would you find

You'd see that today holds something special

Something holy, not superficial

So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives

It's something we all try to ignore

And put a wreath up on your door

So here's something you should know that is for sure

Christmas must be something more

We get so caught up in all of it

Business and relationships

Hundred mile an hour lives

And it's this time of year

And everybody's here

It seems the last thing on your mind

Is that the day holds something specia

lSomething holy, not superficial

So here's to Jesus Christ who saved our lives

It's something we all try to ignore

And put a wreath up on your door

But here's something you should know that is for sure

Christmas must be something

Christmas must be something

Christmas must be something more

There's gotta be more

There's gotta be more

So this weekend definately was a good time. I headed out with my friends Stacy and Vern, rented this little car, and drove around the islands and then got a little place for the night.

As we drove around we stopped in a little town where the people were very agressive, and very much wanted us to try on their products. We tried on these jackets, and it was SO cold outside since we were way up in the mountains, and the guy told us they were 5 euros! I was close to buying one, and Vern was getting ready to pay for his, but the guy magically had not meant 5 euros, he meant more like 45! Hm .... but it was funny all the same. When we left without buying anything, the man threw Vern's jacket on the ground!

This little old man was so funny. He had his donkey and when he saw us he came over and basically pulled me onto his donkey! Her name was 'margarita' and I called him the old grunting man because he didn't talk, but he definately made a lot of funny noises. The donkey stank so bad, but it was so fun!
Not all my pictures worked on here, but he took me for a ride. Once I was on the donkey, he handed me the reins, and walked away and I was rather worried, but then he came back and we went for a little walk.

This old man was so cute! He made us all smile.

The views were so beautiful. They use these windmills for a lot of their power. So you see them all over the island.
There was also beautiful buildings and pretty pictures just waiting to be taken!

It was great to get away just for a few days. I needed the time away from the ship.





So if you ever are heading to Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, let me know, and I'll tell you all the hot spots!

So a few months ago I ordered a couple of cd's online that I had wanted to get but hadn't been out when I came, and they finally arrived this week. One of them is Carrie Underwood new cd 'Carnival Ride'. If you like her first cd, I definately recommend this cd. It is lovely. Her voice is amazing! Here's a sampling of some of the lyrics.

God put us here on this carnival ride

We close our eyes

Never knowing where it will take us next

Babies are born and at the same time, someone's taking their last breath

I'm flat on the floor

With my head down low

Where the sky can't rain on me anymore

Don't knock on my door cause I won't come

I'm hiding from the storm 'til the damage gets done

You can't knock me off my feet, when I'm already on my knees

Here's to you free souls, you firefly chasers

Tree climbers, porch swingers, air guitar players

Here's to you fearless dancers, shaking walls in your bedrooms

Never let a bad day be enough

To go and talk you in to giving up

Sometimes everybody feels like you

Oh, feels like you, just like you

What you got if you ain't got love

the kind that you just want to give away

It's so easy to get lost inside

a problem that seems so big at the time

it's like a river thats so wide

it swallows you whole

While you sit around thinking about what you can't change

and worrying about all the wrong things

time's flying by

moving so fast

you better make it count

'cause you can't get it back

This next is one song, and probably one the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Also one of the saddest.

' Just a Dream '

It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen

All dressed in white

Going to the church that night

She had his box of letters in the passenger seat

Sixpence in a shoe, something borrowed, something blue

And when the church doors opened up wide

She put her veil down

Trying to hide the tears

Oh she just couldn't believe it

She heard trumpets from the military band

And the flowers fell out of her hand

Baby why'd you leave me

Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know

I can't even breathe

It's like I'm looking from a distance

Standing in the background

Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now

This can't be happening to me

This is just a dream

The preacher man said let us bow our heads and pray

Lord please lift his soul, and heal this hurt

Then the congregation all stood up and sang the saddest song that she ever heard

Then they handed her a folded up flag

And she held on to all she had left of him

Oh, and what could have been

And then the guns rang one last shot

And it felt like a bullet in her heart

Baby why'd you leave me

Why'd you have to go?

I was counting on forever, now I'll never know

I can't even breathe

It's like I'm looking from a distance

Standing in the background

Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now

This can't be happening to me

This is just a dream

Oh, this is just a dream

Just a dream

...

On another note. I got accepted to UCFV next year. So I potentially know my plan for next year. We'll see. I think the past few weeks of confusion were God's way of telling me to just trust Him and let Him lead.

27 days until I see my parents!!

...Miss you

Landed and Lovely

I am definately not in Liberia anymore.

Gran Canaria is beautiful.

It's amazing.

As girls we walked around last night around midnight by ourselves and we were fine.

In Liberia, after dark a girl would be pretty dumb to be going around by herself. I did it acouple of times with other girls, and usually the situations we were in ended up being slightly sketch, but retrospect usually works that way.

It's great to be here though.

Today I walked off the ship and walked around just by myself.

It was lovely!