Greetings!
2008 was filled with many of God's blessings!
The year started off with a vacation with one of my oldest friends, Olivia. We took a Western Caribbean cruise & enjoyed relaxing in Haiti, climbing the falls in Jamaica, snorkeling in Grand Cayman & swimming with dolphins in Mexico. A huge treat!
In February my little sister Dana married Nick Everett. They had a beautiful & memorable wedding & reception in our hometown, Sisters, Oregon. We were very blessed to have our entire family together, a rare occasion. Nick is perfect for my sister & we are very happy for them.
March, April & May brought on a lot of work travel. I had bonding time with my sweet Goddaughters in Memphis. They are now 13 and 7 and growing up too fast! I spent most of my free time plugging away at my Masters Thesis. Thank you to the people who never told me what an undertaking this endeavor would be. I also spent a weekend in San Francisco with Ziad ~ I love that city!
In June, I defended my Thesis & completed grad school with a MS in Psychology & welcomed having my life back. I took a work trip to Colorado Springs followed by a visit to see my Aunt in Aspen. I loved white water rafting the Colorado River & recharging in the pristine beauty.
July included trips to the beach, remembering how fun it is to read for fun, & following my heart by committing to serve a short-term Mission to Rwanda, Africa through my church.
In August, my parents and I went on a cruise through the Inland Passage of Alaska in lieu of birthday / anniversary (45 yrs. for my parents!) / graduation festivities. We ate too much, & were the ultimate tourists for a week of watching whales, glaciers & touring awesome sites.
September brought the big 3-0. It was a milestone I preferred skipping. Olivia came to my rescue & planned a fun girls weekend. My friend Lindsey from Portland even surprised me at my front door! We Disneylanded, beached, shopped & my Excellent Eleven friends met up for Japanese food for my birthday dinner. That's what friends are for!
October was two trips to Memphis & spending a whole lot of time babysitting earning cash for Rwanda expenses. Many friends & family made contributions which provided the necessary financial support to fund the trip. I am very grateful for the prayers & encouragement!
November was consumed with getting ready for Rwanda. Language classes, trainings, planning meetings, packing & learning. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to experience!
35 hours of traveling later, I arrived in Kigali, Rwanda with a team of 11. My team of 4 traveled to Byumba, a rural town north of Kigali. We showed love to & partnered with widows (largely widowed by HIV or the genocide), children & youth, orphans & the community. I learned more than I taught & left feeling humbled, impacted and changed. I will be chronicling my journey on my blog, so check for updates!
I am so grateful for each & every one of you. Your friendship & love mean so much to me. Merry Christmas to you & God's Blessing to you for 2009!
With love and gratitude,
Blog: mmhughie.blogspot.com
Email: melindamhughie@gmail.com Phone: 949.201.5349
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