#51 California Christmas

I didn't actually write this, but it was what I would have written. It was at "my beach" and on my walking path for the afternoon. 

Sunset over Downtown LA.

Oceanside Pier on a clear, gorgeous day in Oceanside, CA (about 30 mins from my parents' house). My second visit to the beach within two days time.

Number 51 reads: "Spend Christmas in California" and that has now been accomplished! Little did I know that I would spend this Christmas in Puerto Rico *and* CA. By going to PR, I accomplished #4 from my list too: "visit a missionary while they are working internationally on the field". I was totally spoiled by weather in the mid-80s for about a month straight (...and to think this month was in December/January! Boy!) I had a fantastic trip home and became really spoiled and lazy. Some highlights:
--Girls shopping trip in LA with my sisters and cousin
--Meeting my second cousin, once removed for the very first time as a 5 month old (...so, she's my 2nd cousins daughter, 'case you were a little confused, there)
--Meeting my first cousin, once removed for the very first time as a 6 *day* old! Precious! (Which was #13: "hold a newborn baby [newborn= under 3 months old]")
--Getting to see my parents interact with their friends in their Sunday school class
--Hanging around the house in sweats all day and acting like I owned the place =)
--Playing on our new Baby Grand piano! Its beautiful!
--Talking the dogs (and Emmy) for walks to "the horses"
--Sunbathing (...yes, literally)
--Tea and scones with one of my very best friends in her new trailer as she is now a newlywed
--Sleepovers and dodgin' around Pasadena with Hayley
--Backrubs from sisters!!!!
--Spending multiple nights at Amanda's house (#21: "spend the night with my sister at her house in Los Angeles")
--Trimming the apple trees at the bottom of our grove and hearing the horses "neigh" and sheep freak out and "bleat" at 4pm because that's feeding time
[Okay, side note/explanation- I live on an avocado grove, not a farm. All these animals live at a summer camp on the other side of our closest neighbour's property. As a kid I was *obsessed* with horses and Amanda and I used to sneak through the corral fencing to go to the camps Saturday morning rodeos/end of camp-show-your-parents-your-skill-closer. We never went to the camp, but boy, we sure hiked around it! Haha! Terrible, I know.]

And lastly, but certainly not least (...why isn't it "leastly"...?)
--Three hour solo day with God at the beach. It was so unexpected, and so needed! Wonderful and beautiful at the same time. In reward, He gave me a *fantastic* sunset. See?

Goodbye, CA, for now.
I bought a one-way plane ticket going back to school in TN because I don't know when I will be returning to CA. Good thing I have 8 months to work it out! Trusting the Lord every step of the way.

Date(s) completed: December 18th, 2011- January 11th, 2012.