The Last Few Weeks...

In college, I never really valued Christmas Break. The 5 weeks that I didn't have class were fun and I enjoyed not studying, but I don't think I ever stopped to realize how great they were.

That has all changed now that I am in grad school. The fall semester started off fairly easy - I was able to keep up with the reading without much trouble. Midterms came and went without much difficulty. I knew that I had 5 final papers due the first week of December and then 4 finals the week after that, so I started researching for my papers and organizing my notes. I actually wrote 2 of my papers before Thanksgiving Break and my sweet husband spent a whole weekend in the library with me as I was writing. Then from the Monday after Thanksgiving until December 16, I did nothing but study. I'm not even kidding. I have never studied that much, done that much research or written so many pages in my life! I calculated it up: I wrote 75 pages over 2.5 weeks! Crazy. Needless to say, I did more intense studying in those 2.5 weeks then I ever did in undergrad. I honestly didn't speak to Nathan for longer than 20 minutes for that entire 2.5 weeks, I didn't clean the house, do the laundry or cook any meals.

That has made Christmas Break so sweet. I have loved just getting to lounge around the house (which is what I am currently doing: still in my pj's, sitting in front of a fire, watching TLC, organizing photos and blogging). For Christmas, my family gave me all cooking themed gifts so I have loved getting to use all of them! I even roasted a chicken earlier this week - I only gagged and screamed twice, which I think is pretty good.

Christmas morning at the Zandstra household

Along with lounging around the house, we had a great chance to take a small road trip to just get away and reconnect, along with seeing some sweet friends. We drove from Dallas to Jackson, MS to see our friends Hannah and Scott, and their son Ethan. It was so fun to see them and catch up. The next day we were able to have lunch with Nathan's college roommate, Cal and his new bride, Claire. We had seen them at their wedding 2 weeks earlier, but it was so fun to talk to them for longer than 30 seconds. After Jackson, we headed to Memphis, TN for some bbq from Rendevous, which was absolutely amazing. We also got to see one of my childhood friends, Elisabeth, and her husband Austin. After a fun night in Memphis, we headed to Hot Springs, AR for New Years Eve. Nathan booked a really cute B&B just outside the city. Hot Springs is a really cute little town and we had so much fun walking around, looking at the springs bubbling up around town and enjoying the scenery.

Hot Springs, AR

Dinner at Rendevous in Memphis

Now that we are back in Dallas, I am just enjoying lounging, reading, sleeping, cleaning and hanging out with friends. Classes start again on Jan 19 and I can't believe that this is my last semester! I'll be graduating May 16, which is almost unreal for me think about. This time last year I was unemployed and thinking my life wasn't going anywhere. A year later, I am starting my second and last semester of grad school and the possibilities for my career after May are so exciting! God is so good. Can't wait to see what this year holds!