A New Sister and a New Year

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to meeeeee. . . Happy birthday to me. :D

If you haven't already guessed, it was my birthday not too long ago! On October 10th, I became eighteen years old. Isn't that scary? I definitely don't feel like I'm old enough or mature enough to be eighteen. A friend of mine recently asked me if I saw myself as a girl or a woman now, and I think that I'll place myself in the "young woman" category. Until I hit my twenties, I don't think that I'll be able to view myself as a real woman. I'm still too child-like for that! :D

Nonetheless, it is still weird... I'm eighteen, taking college classes, and heading to the States next year to attend Liberty University's campus. In one sense, I'm looking forward to it. But in another... I guess I can honestly say that I'm a little scared.

Living in Asia for my entire life has been great, but I don't know how to do anything in America. I've often gotten embarrassed during previous visits about my lack of knowledge about things everyone else sees as a natural way of life. Ah well. I guess I'll learn right? And are people who have offered to help if I ever need them to. Soo thankful for the friends God has provided me!

As many of you know, my family has been in the process of adopting. They were gone for more than a week in Ethiopia, and returned the night before my birthday with the newest member of our family: Hanissa Faith.

She's by far the best birthday present I've ever gotten. :) She loves dancing, mirrors, bubbles, singing, bubbles, dancing, bubbles, sparkly things, singing, dancing, pink sparkly things, bubbles... You get the picture. :)

I'm have so many things in my life to be thankful for. I know I often complain; you can just ask my family and my best friend if you don't believe me. But I truly am blessed in all that God has given me. And I can't wait to see what He has in store for me this next year!!!