Life in the Ancient World: 3 Years Later...Here's What You Missed

I'm finally returning to my blog a few days shy of 3 years since my last post! I know in some of my last posts I made promises to write more often but I did exactly the opposite of that. I struggled with what to write. At first I wrote almost like an itinerary of what we had done here over the past few days. By the time I reached my third semester it was essentially the same thing over and over.

Now I'm doing something different. I've realized you (the audience) don't have to know EVERYTHING that happens EVERYDAY. This blog is going to be more conversational and just kind of what's going on in my life- whether that's traveling to Israel or hanging around and reading a book.

It's been 3 years since my last post! Chances are if you're reading this you've got an idea of what I've been up to during the past three years. Maybe you don't. Maybe you've forgotten. So, for those that care let me catch you up.

This semester marks my 12th as the assistant to the director here at HUG. Don't forget my one semester as a student in the Summer of 2009! And the two weeks I was here in 2007 for HUHA.
232 HUGers have come through the program since my last blog post and each has left an impact on my life. Add that to my first 3 semesters and that makes a grand total of 316 HUGers during my time here. Wow!
I've been to Egypt 3 more times and got a Salmonella-like disease the last time.

With Mike and Beth at the Giza pyramids during Spring 2013.
I went to Turkey lead the group my first time there. Now I've been to Turkey 5 times, one of which was with my parents.
I've been to Israel another 7 times and it never gets old, none of these do.

My parents have visited me 3 times in Greece. I've taken them to the Peloponnese, Northern Greece, a Greek Island Cruise and even to Amsterdam, Netherlands and Istanbul, Turkey (as already mentioned).

Mom and I at the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens of Amsterdam. It was cold!
A number of friends have come to visit me here in Greece and I hope more will do so before I'm done here.

Jessica, Jenna and I at Mycenae, Greece.
I've been to countless Greek soccer games and even a Final Four Greek Basketball game that eventually lead to that team winning the European Basketball Championship a few weeks later!
Shortly after I quit blogging, I went to Florence, Italy to visit Harding's program there (HUF). This was my first time to Florence and I even managed to visit Pisa one afternoon, all thanks to then-assistant to the director of HUF, Kyle.

Goofing around with the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
April of 2012 I discovered I have a love for comic books and have been reading ever since.
In the Summer of 2012, Katie (my sister, only sibling) and I visited Oslo, Norway and Copenhagen, Denmark on our way home to America.

Katie and I on the external spiral stairs around a church's spire in Copenhagen, Denmark.
A few days after arriving home from the previous trip, Dad, Chris (a good friend of mine) and I flew to St. Paul, MN for a 36-hour trip to see Coldplay in concert. This was their last American tour stop for 3 years. Hmmm...Seems to be a theme here.

Eating lunch at the Mall of America before the Coldplay concert in St. Paul.

2013 began with a quick trip to Miami, FL with my father to cheer on Alabama to their 15th National Championship over Notre Dame.

Roll Tide from Miami, Florida in January of 2013! The game is over and the seats across the way are empty because
the Notre Dame fans left.
Some of my college roommates and I spent a weekend together at my family's cabin in Gatlinburg in the summer of 2013. By the way, we all had to rock mustaches for the entire weekend.

You know I was going to include this picture! Don't worry, the fedora wasn't meant to be taken seriously either.
During the Fall of 2013, I skipped a trip with HUG to Turkey and instead visited Harding's England campus in London (HUE) for a few days.

Straddling the Prime Meridian with the HUE Director.
2013 came to a close with a visit to Disney World (and Universal Studios) to see one of my best friends, Caleb. This was my first time to Disney World (not counting a visit at 8 months of age) and it was....dare I say, magical!

Hanging around EPCOT with Caleb
After a successful LOST blog 4 years ago and by high demand- I built a website (www.mythsfortoday.com) where I review and analyze the movies, television, books and comic books I read/watch.
In June 2014 my sister got married and I finally got a brother in my life. He's cool and I approve.

Katie and Jonathan's first dance.
Last but not least in this 3-year highlight reel, I got to sit in a Batmobile.

One of the five Batmobiles used in the 1966 television show!

Plenty more has happened in the meantime. I've met many great new friends and lost touch with many great old friends. I've lost many important people in my life. Friends have gotten married and even had kids. Three of the four members of my immediate family (that's including me) have had surgeries during this time; some of us have had multiple surgeries. In the last three years I've learned simply that life goes on- good or bad, it doesn't stop. All we can do is try and live a good story.

I look back on the last 3 years and I can see that I'm very blessed. (I promise I'll refrain from using that word from now on. I agree, it's WAY over used! But what else can be said to accurately sum this up?)

So there, you're all caught up...mostly anyways. Hang with me and I'll keep you updated from this point on, promise!

P.S. Here are a few extra pictures from the adventures I listed!