Happy New Year, 2012

Yeah, we're silly. Happy 2012!
In other news, we're already 2 months in...

Newest

Love the newness of babies!

:)

I used to like blogs so much...

2009

Happy Merry Holidays & Greetings from the PTC (Peachtree City)!

Well, family and friends, this is pretty much my first attempt at a Christmas/End of year letter. Consider yourselves saluted. This year was a good one, with plenty going on and much for which I am thankful.

January began another semester as a Volunteer Leader for YoungLife. This will be my 4^th year working with YL. If you’ve never heard of this organization, feel free to check out their website, Younglife.org and, for my area specifically, Fayette.younglife.org. It’s a non-denominational Christian ministry focused on high school kids. The middle school equivalent is called WyldLife, and this year, beginning in September, I became a WyldLife leader. It’s all very rewarding and my move to the middle school ministry has been a big change! As leaders, we go to where the kids are, we walk with them and hopefully earn the right to be heard about Jesus. Your prayers are needed and welcome for me and for the ministry!

I’ve also been working with the youth group at church, pretty much since I graduated back in 2004, which is always interesting and fun.

Speaking of graduating, this year, in October, I attended my 5-year reunion at Berry College. It was great to reconnect with some of the great friends I made there.

In July, Mom and I had the opportunity to go to the UK, which I’m sure you’ve heard all about from her, but just to add, we spent a week in London, a week in Paris, and a week in Edinburgh, Scotland. We enjoyed riverboat tours in London and Paris, walking around the cities (a lot!), eating at outdoor cafes, looking out for Nessie at Loch Ness, museums, and even a musical…Jersey Boys in London. It was all amazing, though I think one of our favorite parts was a visit as part of a tour to Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France. That day we also went to Versailles, which was interesting, though extremely crowded. Of the three cities, I think we enjoyed Edinburgh the most because it had more of a small city feel. We attended the first annual Gathering of the Clans and saw traditional tartans, arts, sports, and more. People traveled from all over the world to reunite with their clans!

In late October, we welcomed a new addition to our clan, with the birth of my niece, Sophia DuPre to Chris and Tiffany!

In addition, this year was especially wonderful for me because, on November 19, I celebrated my first anniversary with my amazing boyfriend, Josh Coleman. Hopefully, you’ll all get to meet him someday. I’ll be celebrating Christmas with his family this year, while Mom goes up to Richmond.

Well, I wish you all a wonderful Holiday and glorious New Year!

Love, Nicole <3

I had a nice birthday evening

Sadly, this year I was sick leading up to and following my birthday but I was ok for the day! I had planned a night at Starbucks and it was a nice turnout, around 12-15 came :) and we played Apples to Apples. Good times :)

One door closes...

...Wonder what's coming next...
So I'm once again unemployed besides being freelance. :)
And in about 2 weeks I'm goin to Israel! Wow. So exciting!

Hooray for youth trips! I went to Laguna Beach, Florida over the weekend with my church youth group. I also went to the same place when I was a youth...for my 16th birthday. And now, 10 years later, just after turning 26, I was there again. :) I like things like that. It was a very good trip, we had 11 young people and 4 adults. Jake gave an amazing series of talks over the weekend and we had lots of fun beach time. We drove down on Friday, the kids had a day off school and when we go there it was overcast and the water was crazy so we couldn't go in. Saturday it was gorgeous! The water was insanely clear and the weather was beautiful-sunny but breezy. We saw an exhilarating sunset too. For once, I just watched it, my camera I had left in the room and I didn't really have time to go back for it. That's ok, though. I should probably learn how to let go and just watch things like that. No sweat I didn't capture it, God will make new ones every day.

Today I had to get a filling, though. Not as good as the weekend. However, my dentist, who just took over for my old dentist who is retiring-ish, asked me to help with some advertising for him! So I got a job out of the experience. And also a numb nose. Which I have to say is one of the oddest sensations I've ever felt. Just the right nostril though. Weird.

It's October. A good month. In which I turn 26 this year. Next Wednesday. La dee da.

My mother is on a date tonight. Weird.

And I'm single again. Not as weird.

bah

My throat hurts.

So I went to a nurse. She gave me some allergy meds. Then I had blood taken.

So, next I find out in a few days if there's anything goin on in me that shouldn't be.

Ironic doughnuts, anyone?

Well, it has been an interesting day. . The irony I refer to in the title comes in because of yesterday and today, though...Last night, Neal and I went to see The Simpson's Movie. Very fun :) Gotta love a good Simpson's. But then today, I was driving home and... Doh! Got a flat tire. Had to wait like 2 1/2 hours in the O'Charley's waiting area for USAA to get someone to me. I may be all about doing things myself, but let me tell ya, I wasn't gonna attempt to change that tire. 1st, it was like 91 degrees today which wouldn't be all that bad except I've been sick for the last week and a half almost. And, B, I've never actually learned how to change one. And then of course, they put the darn lugnuts on with those air guns, so I doubt I woulda been able to unscrew the dang thing. Well, as I was waiting I chatted with the nice O'Charley's employee about how she got a flat once and it took all of her weight standing on the ....well, the thing that unscrews the nuts (ew, nuts) to get it changed. She also gave me a sweet tea while I waited. Nice lady. Anyway, what I'm getting at, is that here I am driving on a doughnut the very day after seeing The Simpson's Movie. ;) Ironic, don't ya think?