Abilene, Baby Shower, Alaska, and Maddy.

Okay folks, get ready for lots of updates! Here are the pictures, I'll tell you about them afterward:

Okay, so here goes the update:

The first pictures are from a couple of weeks ago when I was in Abilene, TX for work. First of all, the hotel didn't have a do not disturb sign in my room, so I used my resources to create my own. :) A bit ghetto, but it worked! I also realized when I was eating one day that I am definitely a dipper! Did you notice all of the deliciously messy dips?! They also had the Big Country Balloon Fest while I was there, where they sent off a gazillion hot air balloons at the same time. It's kind of a little mini-fair. I was only disappointed that they did not have hot dogs--I LOVE hot dogs at the fair!

I also recently went to a baby shower for one of my very dearest friends growing up, Carrie. She and her husband recently moved back to Texas after the lots of years since we graduated. :) It was such a great reunion with her and Kristina, 2 of the girls I spent all of my teenage days with!

Then there was Alaska...A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Words cannot describe the wonders of the beauty that is Alaska. Winter has already started there, so the touristy stuff is closed for the season. I definitely want to go back when it's summer, to explore all of the adventure and beauty! Day 1 I went on a drive of the scenic byway, and I have never seen anything like it! It was absolutely breathtaking! It was so easy to appreciate the creation, being right in the middle of it. Day 2 it snowed so hard most things were closed! I did make it downtown to a very, very delicious restaurant where I had the most amazing salmon E-V-E-R! It was fresh from right there--not frozen, not shipped. It tasted like a whole different meal. The restaurant I ate at boasts of a waterfront view. There were big windows, but the snow was falling so hard that you couldn't see the water! The view was still beautiful though, seeing the snow fall and cover everything. It is so peaceful to see the blanket of snow cover everything and to have the quiet hush that accompanies snowfall. I did walk out back of the restaurant after I finished eating, and got to see a bit of the water. Then I walked downtown and attempted to do some shopping, but most of the stores were closed. Day 3 the snow stopped and I went to a national park. They had spotted a mama grizzly bear and her 2 cubs earlier that day, so I was a little jumpy at every noise I heard hiking through the woods. I felt so brave, until I was almost to the end of the trail. Then some dogs started going crazy somewhere nearby, and I took off! I decided that no matter how big and strong I may be, the bear will always be bigger and stronger! I did not want to get eaten by a bear in the woods of Alaska, so I just started running back up the trail. I didn't realize until I was back at the car, however, that in my effort to get out alive that my cell phone dropped out of my pocket. So I had to go back down the trail to look for it. The blessing was that it didn't drop until I was almost back to the start of the trail, so I didn't have to go another mile to find it and risk being eaten by a bear. :)

I got home Saturday and that night was my niece Maddy's 1st birthday party. It was a Hawaiian theme, and she was the cutest little hula dancer ever! She is very inquisitive, and loved trying to figure out the bark on the tree in the backyard. She also loved chasing the other kids, having everyone's undivided attention, getting presents, and eating her very own cake! She is SOOOO cute, and the party was so fun! Thanks Mike and D for a good time and delicious food! They made kabobs, rice, fruit, and veggies.

Now I'm back in Tejas, and off to a new week with new adventures. And I have exactly this week to get all of the pieces together to apply for grad school in January! I also have to learn my new job while maintaining my old one. It's going to be a busy week. Life is AWESOME! I'm so grateful for the Lord's blessings in my life, and for the incredibly opportunities He has given me.