In memory of 2010

Christmas with the Byars

New Year's Conference 2009- Nashville, TN

Happy New Year- Pueblo, CO

Visiting with Lauren and Sheldon-Somewhere North of Pueblo, CO

Snow in Alabama!!!!

A trip to Mobile- college besties :)

Ty and Jen's Wedding in Fairhope, AL

Our Dgroup!!!

Field Day for student teaching....loved those kiddos!

Allie and Leebo- i miss these kids!!!

My small group (some of them)- The biggest answer to prayer this year!!!

Mimi and Papa took us out for dinner to celebrate my graduation!

A little photo shoot on graduation day!!!

I'm a COLLEGE GRADUATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KZ- represent:)

Glad to have some family in town...and glad mom and dad got to watch the ceremony on the internet!

Road Trip to Virginia!!! Best friends reunite!

A day trip to DC- oh the adventures that unfolded there!
Lauren's Graduation!!!!

Celebrating Jessica's Birthday (even though she was in California)

Girls night out

Our annual trip to the Fairhope. One last trip to Mobile before I left for KZ.

Fancy Feet Picture (of course)

And.....i locked the keys in the car......

Back Yard Bible Club in East Lake

Sweet times....

Celebrating my birthday with the kids I nannied for. They threw me a princess party:)

My 22nd Birthday- July

Me and Katie celebrating my birthday with the small group! And having to say good bye to the girls as well before I flew out of the country.

Made it to KZ

Enjoying the sunshine :)

Me and my new friends :)

Playing at mom and dad's house

Field Trip with 5th graders.....oh yes....

Winter Concert at school

Staff Christmas Party
Katie came for Christmas!!!

Family Photo Shoot

The "kids" at Christmas

Christmas Day........

There's always a party at the Horsley's

I am SO thankful for the amazing ways God has blessed me this year. He has done so much more than I could ever have imagined! Who knew that I would be here in KZ. I had no idea I would make so many new life long friends! Wow....I am so blessed.

2011, you've got a lot to live up to :). Looking forward to what's in store:)!

HAPPY NEW YEAR....

Obviously I've been lagging behind a little when it comes to blogging....since I haven't since Thanksgiving...oops. But here's a little update of the past month.....I have now successfully completed one full semester of teaching-yes, I've actually survived (we'll see if I live through the next semester though). My sister and my friend Katie were here to spend Christmas with us, and that was truly the greatest Christmas gift of all (especially since I was very sick with a terrible cold and cough on Christmas)! I only wish it could've even been longer....but I'm thankful for that blessing!!! They are both back stateside now, and things much more quite around these parts.

Katie here for Christmas...

Family photo shoot-it's been a while since we've all been together, so we had to make the most of it :).

Christmas at the Horsley House

And now as I'm thinking back to all the memories of this past year...I'm a little overcome with awe at all that has happened in my life in 2010. Things that I NEVER expected...being in Kazakhstan, for one. Hmm....blogger world....i think you're about to get more than you bargained for :).

'Tis the season to be jolly...

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone, and Christmas is right around the corner. I was so thankful to be back home for Thanksgiving this year, even if I didn't get any time off for the holiday. It was great to be with my mom, dad and brother again....we were missing one beloved sister very much.

Last night my roommate Jessica had a little more energy than I did (I had teacher training all day Friday and Saturday- all I wanted to do was sleep), so she decorated our apartment for Christmas. I woke up to lights strung throughout the apartment and tinsel outlining every doorway :). Tonight we are having some friends over for a belated Thanksgiving dinner with them. Yes, we are indeed spreading the American Thanksgiving tradition throughout Almaty :).

This past week was a difficult one....more than a full week. And this upcoming week will be full of chaos as we rehearse for our Christmas Concert on Friday. However, the one thing that keeps me hanging on at the moment (besides the grace of God ;)) is that my sister will arrive in exactly two weeks! Then, one week after that, my friend Katie will be joining us!!!! I cannot wait! I'm so excited to see them both, and catch up on life! I'm looking forward to many late nights of giggling, drinking hot chocolate, watching Christmas movies (and other classic movies), and hopefully seeing lots of snow.....but still waiting for that.

Well blogger world...I hope you've all had a thankful Thanksgiving, and you are looking forward to the season ahead. May we all be reminded of the true meaning!!!

Oh if only weekends were a little longer......

SIGH.....so another weekend is coming to an end. Another Saturday spent at a school event, and time is still just flying by. However, I am very thankful for the extended time I got to spend with my coworkers this weekend. After school on Friday we all went out to eat Indian Food and spend hours lounging around, talking, and laughing! It was great!!! Then we had to get up early Saturday and go to the Grand Opening of our preschool campus. We had lots of fun and games, and met perspective families and such. Then on our way to go eat, mom and dad invited us all over to join the cookout they were having. We got there, jumped on the trampoline, shot some hoops (as always at the Horsley house), and ate a great meal. It was good!

Top (Left to Right): Azamat (Aliya's husband), Mushtaq, Khalmurat, Khalmurat's cousin, my dad, my mom, Asem (Aliya's sister.

Bottom(Left to Right): Aizhan, Me, Rufina, Aliya

I am so truly thankful that God has placed these people in my life. They have truly become very dear friends of mine.

Chai, Coffee and Cocoa

I have a new favorite spot in Almaty...Gloria Jeans :). It's always been around, but once I discovered I could get on my blog here, it became a favorite :).

So....Term 2 is about to start, and I feel so much more prepared for this term. I'm looking forward to this short term, and to not having so much on my plate. I got the planning of Fall Fun Day out of the way, so no more planning big events for me this year :). My online class will be over in 2 weeks. My salsa lessons are over. Today is my last day to be tutoring a young boy outside of school. SO.....I will be so freed up to really focus on my students and on teaching! I had to tell the lady whose son I tutor that I would no longer be able to do it. I did not feel that I was doing any job well! I hate that feeling!!! As much as I want to be superwoman and do it all...I'm not, so I can't. Therefore, I end up feeling like a failure when I don't do a good job. SO....I'm really glad about this decision! So relieved that I really can focus just on school and on my students :)!

Well we have a fun filled Halloween weekend coming up....pumpkin carving with friends tonight. Costume party tomorrow night. So as strange as it sounds to say....Happy Halloween:).

Sunrise, Snow and Spooks

Every morning I get a ride to school on a "teacher bus". I'm the first stop, then we pick up two more staff members and their kids. We usually end up waiting a few minutes at stop number 2 since they do have kids to get ready and out the door. I have become very fond of this little wait because of the magnificent view that I get to behold every morning.......................

Yep....that's it. Every morning for the past month I've gotten to watch the sunrise over those mountains. I finally thought it would be a good idea to take a picture :)...I was hoping the next day there would be no clouds...but instead....this is the view I got........

Beautiful snow capped mountains. A sure sign that winter would be right around the corner. By the end of the week the mountains were no longer visible through the curtain of snow covering the city for the first time of the season.......

After driving into school with this as the backdrop I arrived to ghosts and goblins, vampires and rock stars. Since it was the last day of school before Fall Break we celebrated Halloween a little early. The kids loved getting to dress up...even us teachers got a little carried away ;) (I was Golidlocks).

However, unfortunately I didn't last long. I was really sick and so I went home to stay in bed for two full days! Not the most fun thing to be bed ridden for any significant amount of time, but with the cold weather descending and the snow silently falling I was content to be cozy under my quilt:).

This upcoming week is Fall Break! I fear it won't be too much of a break as I have to move my classroom for the 3rd time, and write narrative reports. But at least I can do those things after sleeping in a little :).

The snow is all gone for now. The cold weather is still here. But I got my boots, got my coat, and got my scarves :)!!! I'm ready!