"New" Adventures in 2015

Hello my dear family and friends!

I hope this finds you well and happy and enjoying this wonderful holiday season. I wanted to give you a quick rundown of some of the NEW things that happened this year in my life!

                                           

I went to Washington, DC in a new season-winter. The only season I have left to visit DC in is fall… It was so wonderful to go there and to celebrate a friend’s wedding. It was great to visit with dear friends and loved ones.

I went to a new state-Texas! I had a wonderful time visiting with friends who were down there for the wedding, as well as a visit with a friend who recently moved down there, and a lovely visit with my great aunt and great uncle.

A new friend came with my other friends on our yearly trip to Bear Lake. My friend, Jennie, joined the Pickleville Playhouse posse and it was a true highlight of my summer!

I have a new niece! Woot! Josephine joined my brother and sister-in-law’s family in September. I feel blessed to live about 5 minutes from them, and to get to see 2 nieces and my nephew pretty regularly. Our family is also looking forward to another little one joining my little sister’s family in May. I do love my niblings! (Niblings…it’s a word meaning collective nieces and nephews, and so fun too!)

I guess my personal biggest new thing this year is my new job. After 5 years as a Hall Advisor in Heritage Halls at Brigham Young University, I felt ready for a change. The opportunity for change came through the opening of the Office Specialist position at Heritage Halls. I am so grateful to still be working for the Residence Life organization at BYU. I am blessed to work with such incredible people, and to continue supervising student employees and helping students in their transition to the university. With the change in jobs came the need for a change in housing. I moved into a house with 2 roommates and it has been a good experience, but definitely a learning experience. It is interesting going from living alone for 5 years to having roommates. It is fun having people to come home to each evening. I am also attending a family ward at church, which has been an interesting change as well. I am enjoying getting to know people and for the new opportunity to work with the children in the Primary organization.

Overall, this change has brought an overall newness to my life, where I am learning about myself again. I am adjusting to a new daily schedule and routine, to having evenings more free, to not having mornings open. I am trying to discover hobbies, interests, passions, and fun. I am working at cultivating new friendships, as well as renewing friendships, and going out and doing things with friends, instead of just ‘liking’ things on social media. It isn’t always easy, but I am grateful for the learning and growing that has happened, especially over the last few months, and I look forward to adventures next year.

May you and your family and friends find joy and peace and understanding this Christmas season. I am grateful each and every day for the birth, life and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. When the world gets more and more confusing, convoluted, and chaotic, He is there to guide, love, and comfort. May you all find that comfort, love, and guidance in your lives.

I love you! Always, Kristen Kennedy