I was able to start off my time at home reconnecting with some of my amazing Nicaragua community in North Carolina. I was able to spend time with both short-termers and some wonderful folks (Evan, Kelly, Ashley, and Jake) that were living here when I first arrived in Nicaragua. It was amazingly refreshing to spend my first several days with them (pictured below).
I also was able to see other friends that are living in Boone. One was my lovely World Race 
sister, Katie (pictured right). I felt like I didn’t get enough time with her because she had to leave town, but it was wonderful to have one night of coffee dates, chats about life, and a sleepover. It has been months since the last time I saw her so we had so many things to catch up on. I always love being in the midst of my World Race family, especially my Kiatera sisters. It makes my heart happy!! And of 
course when Katie and I are together our time always includes good coffee. This time it was Espresso News… delicious! Also, my mentor from college, Liz Abel (pictured left), moved to Boone over the summer when her husband took a job at App State. It was amazing to see Liz!! We used to have a coffee or lunch date every week, but I hadn’t seen her in 6 1/2 years since her wedding. I loved getting to see all the things that have happened in her life in the last 6 years. I had the opportunity to meet her son Simon, have lunch with her and her family, and then spend several hours just chatting and catching up on life in Nicaragua and in Boone. What a wonderful gift!
My parents waited for me to decorate the tree. I must admit that
even at 27 I still get so excited about all of our family Christmas traditions (not just a little excited, but little kid excited)! I love getting out all of the old decorations, looking through the the old terrible handmade crafts from my childhood, and remembering all of our family Christmases through the decorating process.
I also was able to spend time with one of my best friends’ Amanda (pictured left). We have been friends since kindergarten. I always love getting together with her and her family. I was able to have lunch one day and coffee date another just me and Amanda and then head back to her house and spend some time with her two beautiful kids. I loved playing games with Isaac, her 3 year old, who may be the funniest kid I
have EVER met. Also, I finally got to meet her daughter Emma (pictured right). One of the hard parts of moving out of the country is missing out on really getting to know your friends’ families. It was really exciting to finally get to meet her precious daughter. I love having times with such consistent friends that we can be apart for months and things are still always the same.
Of course my absolute FAVORITE part of being home is spending quality time with my nephew, Cosby (pictured left). He’s growing up so much! I love running around and playing with him and having cuddle time while he watches “Go! Diego Go!”. It’s wonderful to spend time with him, my brother, and Karly. I love my family!!
Every time I go home I am able to spend time with my cousins, 
Amanda and Stacy (pictured right). We are not only cousins, but they are a couple of my best friends. I love getting to spend time with them! We had time going out for coffee and dessert together and going to a young adults group. It was great to have time with the two of them. Of course we also had a lot of 
family time together. And I had a long anticipated sleepover with Amanda’s two daughters, Emma and Katelynn (pictured left). They are so precious! We made popcorn, watched Elf, and then crashed in Emma’s room for the night. Emma and I both wait months for our next sleepover and I always have sleepovers with them when I’m in the States.
I also got to go to Emma’s school the next day to see her kindergarten Christmas program and spend the afternoon babysitting Katelynn. Oh, how I love these beautiful girls!!
Another thing I love is having tons of coffee shop time! I know it 
seems like a small thing, but I LOVE hanging out in coffee shops!! I love the atmosphere. I love having coffee dates with friends or just sitting by myself with a cappuccino and my journal.
There are no coffee shops in Candelaria or Chichigalpa so I very rarely have good coffee shop time here in Nicaragua (only when I’m in Matagalpa or at La Rosita in Leon). Every time I’m in States I spend as much time as possible hanging out in coffee shops.
This is me with my favorite drink- triple vanilla extra dry cappuccino. It’s happiness in a cup!
My parents and I took a trip to Abingdon, VA to the Barter theater to see “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I love theater and “It’s a Wonderful Life” is one of my all-time favorite Christmas movies! It was a great show and such a great Christmas family activity and gave me some time to do something fun just my parents and me.
Of course, I couldn’t believe it that they gave a prize for a the person who had come from the farthest away and even after coming from Nicaragua I still didn’t win.
I was able to spend a couple of days with Bev, one of my best 
friends from college. It was so good to hang out with her and catch up on all that the Lord has been doing in both of our lives (which is quite a lot!). We laughed, ate amazing food, went to see the new Narnia movie (fantastic, by the way), and chatted over good coffee. My highlight of our days together was spending an afternoon worshipping and praying over one another. It was amazing to just spend time in His presence and then hear the Lord for one another. Oh, how I love the Church!!
Another unexpected blessing was getting to have a lunch/coffee date with Ashley Musick. Ashley is one of the wonderful folks that works for AIM and also just someone who brings me so much joy and laughter to hang out with her! Ashley lives in GA working in the AIM office, but just happened to be in WV visiting her family for the holidays. It was great to hang out with her, talk about all that the Lord is doing in Nicaragua and in AIM, and to just be encouraged to continue seeking after the Lord and trusting Him more and more in my ministry. And hopefully I’ll get to see her this year in Nicaragua 🙂
Ok, last highlight… of course one of the highlights of visiting your 
family for Christmas has to be Christmas itself! We had a great time of celebrating for days and days first with family on my mom’s side, then our immediate family on Christmas eve, just my parents and I on Christmas morning, and all of my dad’s family the day after Christmas. I love all of our Christmas celebrations!! Each is so different, but filled with family that genuinely loves one another and enjoys being together.
you could easily drink me under the coffee table
I know this is really late, but just reading this makes my heart warm & cozy. Oh how I MISS YOUUUUU!!!