Unspeakable Joy

Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year. No matter what age you are there are still plenty of reasons why joy surrounds the holiday season. When you were young, the magic of Santa and the mass surplus of toys underneath the tree instantly sparked the Christmas spirit within you. You probably read the Christmas story, sang in the Children’s choir, and always knew that this was Jesus’ birthday. However, as the years have passed and I have matured, I have found that new joy is brought to my family on Christmas. It brought us together in one location for one very special reason. It brought out family traditions and sparked up new ones. It brought out our childish instincts and our holiday spirit. It brought out our procrastination shopping and our creative gift-giving ideas. It brought Jesus to the table and it spread joy throughout this household. We started our Christmas festivities with my favorite tradition of all: Holiday Baking. All of the Engle ladies dedicate an entire day in the kitchen baking over six different holiday desserts. We dance around to Christmas Carols and dress up in our Christmas attire. After all of the baking was complete, we loaded up all of our buckets and delivered them to our neighbors and closest friends. This year, Mom and Shannon were Santa and Lauren and I were the Grinch. I look forward to this day every single year, because there is nothing better than baking with all my Engle ladies during the holidays! On Christmas Eve, we spent the afternoon having lunch and exchanging gifts with my Aunt Diane and Uncle Robin. I am very thankful that they moved to the Houston area within the past year and we could spend the holidays with them. Afterwards, we went to River Pointe for our typical Christmas Eve service as a family. We sang various songs and reflected on the most precious gift of all, Jesus. The candle lighting ceremony is truly remarkable every year. The fact that one single flame can spread across an auditorium of over 2,000 people within a matter of minutes astonishes me. In fact, the whole Christmas story still astonishes me. Think about it: God sent his ONE and ONLY son to this earth in order to save us. It’s a free gift. Jesus is the ultimate gift, and I am not too sure what else could have possibly been on our Christmas lists this year. Christmas morning was filled with joy and plenty of laughter at the Engle house. We stick to the tradition of opening ALL of our presents on Christmas morning—no sooner and certainly no later. Everyone always says the presents under the tree don’t matter, which is very true. However, I wanted to do something special for each person in my family this year. I love them more than anything in the world and I wanted to show them that this Christmas season. I wrote them each a poem for their themed presents. Some were very comical and others were heartfelt, but I couldn’t have been any happier with the way their faces lit up when they opened them. The best gift exchange in the Engle family this year was Jason’s present to my Mom. It was a scrapbook with pre-recorded messages alongside each picture. We ALL participated in the making of it and the messages, of course, made Mom cry. I thought the making of the gift with the rest of the gang was half of the fun. Jason, my almost 24 year old brother, received an electronic helicopter. You know, the kind 7 year old boys’ tend to ask for from Santa? Well, it was by far his favorite gift and that thing has been flying around ever since it was opened. It brought out the same laughter and excitement from our childhood years. Christmas means something different to everyone. With Christmas comes joy, typically unspeakable joy. For some people the holidays may have brought hard times and countless struggles, and for others it brought the birth of a new baby or simply reunited a family. Everyone’s Christmas story is different and our Christmas circumstances will continue to change. However, there is one story that will always stay the same. There is one gift that will never expire. There is one return you will never have to make. There is one man that changed my life and there is one man that is dying to change yours. Merry Christmas—I hope your holiday season was filled with unspeakable joy for you and your family this year!  

One Last Night.

After my final exams were complete, I decided to stay in College Station for one last night to celebrate Christmas with my best friends in our PJs with pizookies and parties. Kandace, Christa, Grace, and I went to Target and bought some new Christmas pajamas in the afternoon. We spent the day packing our lives away, loading our cars, and cleaning our dorms. Once the evening finally rolled around, we went to BJ’s in our PJ’s. We received a bunch of strange looks, but we knew people secretly wished they were wearing their pajamas as well. We shared a pizza, ate our tasty pizookies, and had plenty of girl talk. We have come so far since our friendships began on the powderpuff team, and I don’t know where I would be without each of them. I am obsessed with these girls! Afterwards, we went to our very last FISH hang out for the semester. It was a gigantic sleepover at one of my friend’s house and we all wore our pajamas. It was the absolute perfect way to end the semester! We laughed as we reminisced on past memories and continued to make countless new ones. It was a celebration of genuine friendship, the end of finals, and the existence of MSC FISH! I am so used to seeing each of them on a daily basis in College Station, and I will greatly miss them all over Christmas Break! BJ’s in our PJ’s was such a fun and unique way to end my first semester of college and I am so thankful I got to spend it with my girls! I am now in Sugar Land with my family and I’ve realized that no matter where I go or who I become, this will always be my home. I know there are so many fantastic things up ahead in the next few weeks and I am ready to celebrate the holidays with the ones I care about the most!

The First Semester

Words cannot even begin to describe my first semester in college. It feels like just yesterday that I was hauling large boxes into this dorm room and beginning my life in College Station. I stand here today completely finished with all of my finals in awe of the past few months that quickly passed.  I have grown up and matured more in this place than I ever expected. I feel stronger, smarter, and much more spontaneous. College is a strange place. You figure out who you are and who you want to be. You learn how to study and you make every event a social one. You become best friends with your neighbors and represent your sorority letters throughout campus. You eat too many unhealthy meals in the Commons and buy-out Rattlers before Christmas break. You spend nights without sleep and countless hours in the library. You join organizations and participate in events that undoubtedly change your life. You meet people that make you want to be a better person and provide you with unending days of laughter. You cram. You create. You connect. You collaborate. You calculate. And you CELEBRATE.  College is the best place in the world. As I shuffle through my dorm room, pack up items for the holidays, and glance back at previous blog posts, I am reminded of the whirlwind of events that took place this semester. The joys of Rush Week, the anticipation of MSC Fish Rev. Night, the excitement of the date parties, the cheering at football games, the pennies placed on Sully, the intensity of the Powder Puff Tournament, the ending of Thanksgiving Day traditions, and we can’t forget the dreadful studying during Finals Week! I feel beyond blessed to be a part of two organizations that I love: Tri-Delta and MSC Fish. I have met some of my very best friends on this campus and can’t believe I have to go a month without seeing them. I have had many successes and I have made plenty of mistakes, but I have had the time of my life throughout the journey. The ending of this semester is very bitter sweet for me. Sweet, because I couldn’t be more excited that my finals are complete. Bitter, because I can’t believe how fast time has flown by. My freshman year of college is now halfway over. Next semester will bring several new stresses, but a million more memories. As for now, I leave this town feeling blessed, exhausted, and very successful. It is time for a relaxing and joyful Christmas Break in Sugar Land with my incredible family and friends. Let the celebration begin!

**All of the pictures are from the past few weeks: BSC Banquet and Tri-Delta Christmas Party. Too much studying to do, no time to blog.**

 

Ranch Party

Tri Delta hosts Ranch Party once a year,

We wear our boots and we all cheer.

This was by far the most fun date party of all,

And far surpassed dancing at the Hall.

We grabbed our bandana, chaps, and a hat,

So we could be the best two-steppin’ partners’ to glance at!

The party fell on December 1^st from ten until two

If they didn’t want to come that would have to do.

Ready or not, Tri-Delts were about to throw-down

And take over this little college town

C’mon say Howdy and get a tad rowdy

With a little twist of fate, I am so thankful Luke came as my date,

Ranch Party simply couldn’t wait!