It’s Christmas night… and so far my days have been filled with emotional bliss of supportive friends from the Land Down Under. Though this time is lovely, it’s difficult not to reflect at this time on family and home and all the beautiful memories that have developed my pleasured ghosts of Christmas past. Starting off Christmas morning with skyping the three supported members of the Wanbaugh family, I couldn’t help but recognize how my decision to be in Australia has also impacted those closest to me. Opening gifts over video networking just isn’t the same! Despite, I am so glad to have shared in this day with my family even though we are half a world away.
Christmas this year is quite different… it is my first without snow! Even though family isn’t physically present, my life has been blessed with a makeshift family who has loved me and taken care of me in ways that I couldn’t even imagine. Not to make you jealous… but it was pretty cool to be walking around the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge with friends and being made aware of the midnight of Christmas through the bells of a local church. It is a memory from Australia that I will always cherish… such an amazing way to spend this holiday.
Today has been rather low key – it included a fancy sleep in until 10am (not bad after having 5:00 wake up calls for work the last four weeks), a skype date with my family, opening presents with my beloved German flat mate Lisa under our sole tree in the backyard, and a trip to Coogee beach.
For the first time since being at University, I actually have twelve days off from work (people in Australia sure do know how to entertain holidays). What to do? So much that I am looking forward to!! Tentative plans to go camping down the coast, volunteering at my amazing church to help plan our upcoming Synergy event in January, coffee dates, dinner dates, beach dates, and heaps of dates with God have already consumed my agenda. I can’t wait!
Life continues to remain amazing. I can’t believe I have already been here nearly a year. I look at all the changes and developments that have occurred in the last year and know that the final two months of my visa will only continue in this pattern. I am learning so much. Life is so good and I just wish that my attempts to play tug-of-war with time would actually win - moments are slipping through my hands like small grains of sand. Every day is such a pleasure; every person is someone to learn something from. I continually find myself in awe of the beauty of people – we are so unique and it’s incredible to see the craftsmanship of our God.
To baby Jesus… I wish you a happy birthday. To my family… I love you and Merry Christmas. To all my friends back home… I miss you and love you and am so thankful for all the goodness we have shared. To my freshly developed Australian mates… thank you for taking such good care of me and teaching me so much – you have helped revive my spirit in ways you don’t even know. I love you ALL. Merry Christmas :)
xoxo
Tara Kay
