Briefest of brief updates!

Well, better late than never, friends! I am at my folk's house in Phx and writing this update from my own, very new laptop! hooray! I am so grateful for this gift which will accomplish a number of purposes.... one) I will not have to hide out in my cave at my desktop computer to write my papers all the time - this is a particularly special gift; two) it includes a webcam, and my parents bought themselves one also, so that we can talk to each other and SEE each other. We all agree that 8 months is too long to go without sight of each other. Finally, this laptop will make my spring travel much easier and will also save me some $$ on library fees from when I inevitably forget to renew my rented laptop! One final awesome blessing... it will enable me to work even away from home AND the library - Starbucks... here I come! :)

Merry Christmas to all of you! I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to write sooner, but my mom has been working at the computer and its hard to get online next to her, and they don't have wireless, so I haven't really been able to access the world wide web on the laptop until today (when I stole the internet cable from the desktop next to mom).

I had a wonderful Christmas celebration with my family including my brother, parents and grandparents, and special guests: Derek Robinson (former Greenville College football player), Judy Heddens (his moms) and Derek's friend, Pamela. We had a really nice time together and I enjoyed it a ton. Not only was Christmas day fun, but I also have had a really nice vacation thus far. I got to hear dad sing the Messiah (complete works) with the Pheonix Symphony Chorus and the Phoenix Symphony - awesome! It was the first time I'd heard Handel's entire work and it was really, really moving and beautiful. I also attended the Bach choir in Phoenix with my parents, and am looking forward to hearing my dad sing two solos in church this upcoming Sunday.

Tonight my parents, brother, and I are headed to a fancy dinner as part of our annual tradition to get dressed up together and do something adult-y. Last year my parents and I dressed up and went out for dinner, and my brother couldn't make it. This year we'll all get to go and I'm looking forward to it.

I have also been working on my application to Washington State University. My dad is proofing my essay as we speak. And, last but not least... We have been playing a LOT of Settlers of Catan. Look out Joel Schwartz.... I'm really improving!

I will try to post again later today when I can connect up to the internet again. But for now, its time for a game and I have to get the other computer back to normal so that my brother doesn't know I've been messing with his desktop. :)

Miss you - and wishing you the happiest of Christmasses!