transition to 2011

Another year has come and gone. I feel like I just wrote last years post not that long ago. Some times it is great how fast times goes...like I would really love for time to move rather quickly back into warmer weather. I hate this cold, gray stuff. This year was filled with some pretty amazing things:
1. I graduated with my masters
2. Was accepted and started my doctoral program
3. We went to the Dominican as a family
4. Our basement is 75% finished (dave's goal is to have it done by summer)
5. James hit a few homeruns in baseball
6. We had an awesome summer by not being tied down with school. Spent a great deal of time by the pool and at car shows.
7. Daves car won an award at world of wheels
I wonder what next year will bring. This is the first time I have not really looked forward to a new year. I have very mixed emotions. One second I worry about what this year will bring with the economy still not doing well, but the next I realize there is no sense in worrying about the future. No matter what we plan, hope, or think will happen is no guarentee. I look back on the past 2 years and realize that a lot of what has happened wasnt planned and wasnt that great but good things have come out of it. God's plan is not always what we have in mind, but it is the right thing. It just takes time to realize it. So as I told Dave last night...things may or may not be easy, but it is our attitude that will make the difference. If we look at life as unfair, it will be a misraeable year. But if we stay positive, because even though we may not have all we had or hoped to have we still have more than a lot, we will enjoy life more and not waste of year of life.

christmas 2010

Ive realized that I love the holidays....the pre-holiday....I love christmas shopping, wrapping, baking, music, lights but the actual weekend of christmas isnt so plesant. It is way too busy and way too rushed and in the end everyone is exhausted and the house is a disaster. You can't ever seem to please everyone with what time or day to celebrate. But once again we survived and can say that it was a blessed christmas once again. James was very happy and content with his gifts this year. We had a lot of laughs at the Bruinius side and a more calm and quiet christmas on the Kamp side. The cosentino side was lively with all the small children and the enormous pile of presents.

new camera

My christmas present this year is a very nice SLR camera from Dave. I love to take pictures and the digital one that I have just doesn't take the greatest pictures. He let me have it early so I could use it for christmas. Last week I took some pictures of the dogs in the snow to get some practice.....

one semester down...7 to go....

So I survieved my first semester as a doctoral student. It was a lot of work, but I never felt overwhelmed which I am very grateful for. I had a lot of positive support, and I am sure that helped keep me motivated and strong. I will admit there were times when I was working on homework that I asked myself "what are you doing? You could be done and not having to do this right now" but then I wouldn't have the wonderful things I look forward to in the future. I have been done with classes since the 7th and dont go back til Jan 18, so I am enjoying a nice winter break. Our grades were released a few days ago and I recieved all A's. It is a pretty amazing feeling!

our tree this year