Merry Christmas 05'!

Everyone, got together for a Christmas Eve Eve dinner before we - the 4 j-girls plus Grace took off to Cape Town. Since this was my second Christmas away from home and in Botswana, i will have to say that it felt more like Christmas and i think or know that it's due to my mission family i have here. We had a great time, including the flames for a second holiday in a roll shooting from Sally's stove. Then what would any Christmas be without Christmas carols and presents. After dinner we all went to candle light service and sang Christmas songs, then we came back home and opened gifts which of course where white elephant gifts that we passed around till someone got stuck with them!! It was a wonderful time!

All of my "family" that lives in the northeast with me here in Botswana.

Of course we had my fav dish of mac 'n cheese (velveeta the good stuff) for our Christmas Eve Eve dinner!!

Reema with her awesome gift, given by me, of tube socks. Not even joking she liked them!!

Cape Town!!

This year i brought in the Christmas season by going down to Cape Town in South Africa, and let me tell you it was wonderful. I've never been to the beach before on Christmas so this was a totally new experience for me, although it was strange to be putting on sun block instead of a winter coat but it was still fun. We flew down on Christmas Eve and stayed till the day of prayer retreat, just making it in time to check in. You know me an always on time type of girl! hahaha...Anyway it was great, the beach was beautiful and the sky was awesome and all i could think of was how much Operation:HIV was needed down there!hahaha... Remember Botswana has hardly any water and i live in a village so this was a treat!!!

um, yes this is where i spent Christmas Day i would have to say totally worth the Christmas dinner at the food court in the mall.

Hungry anyone? Reema, Shawna, and I enjoying our fine Christmas Day dinner of pizza!! Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

Cape Point!

One of the coolest things we did, besides see penguins, is go to Cape Point which is suppose to be as far south as you can go on the continent of Africa! The view was awesome and the water was beath taking, although i recomend taking a jacket or sweater because it is very, very windy.

Hello, isn't that awesome?!

All 7 brave girls on vacation together, posing at Cape Point. Standing (L-R) Stacie, Brandy, me, and Reema. Front (L-R) Grace, Crystal, and Shawna.

uhm, which way to go? Either New York or South Pole..well i've never been to the south pole, but NY is nice too...decisions, decisions..

I guess we wheren't the only ones looking for the best view. This baboon, tried the van after deciding that our car roof wasn't good enough!

Around Town!

Just some random pictures of our trip that i thought i would share. Oh, i would like to to point out that the little guys in tuxes, are actually penguins, it was so weird to see them. Really though just driving around made me think of San Francisco, with all the old buildings, bright colors, and tons of hills.

It really makes me think of San Fran.

This is the harbor just look at all the boats and water.

Here's one of my favorite pic's at one of the beaches we went to.

This is Brandy and me getting out some of our roommate frustrations!!! hahaha....

Yes these are penguins and yes the picture is in Africa! I was totally surprised to see too!

Even more surprising, i found a subway, the first one i've seen in over a year!

Good-bye!

So after spending almost a whole month with us, and going to Cape Town it was time to say good-bye to my friend Grace. I will say that we had a blast and i'm so glad that she was able to come down and spend the holidays with me and go to Cape Town. It was an awesome time!!! I'm telling you all, more of my friends should come and visit...hint, hint, hint.......

One last picture of Grace lou with Brandy!

Prayer Retreat!

So after saying a quick good-bye to Grace, we hopped on a shuttle and went straight to our Prayer Retreat. It was great, this was my second prayer retreat so it was more like a reuion then anything else. It was wonderful getting to see so many friends, some from before i left home and others i've made while i've been on the field. It was a good time to look at the new year ahead of us.

Friends from MLC, it was great to see them again!!

Some old friends from 40/40 (Kenya Safari) and one little cute new one!

Happy New Year!!

So after all the official celebrating was over, all of the journeyman and a few of the more adventurous career m's decided to have our own little party. Let me tell you we brought the house down with our cards games, mid-night toast to the new year, and then we headed up to the roof of the building to watch fireworks being shot off an inch above our heads!!!!!! What a great way to bring in the new year!! Bet you wish you where there?!!!!

Looks like a pretty rowdy party going on?! I had you fooled didn't I? Ah, we're just bringing in the new year with our handy dandy grape juice!!! Happy 2006!!!