1) Christmas party with Corteo at our hotel.
Christmas carols in 6 languages thanks to the kids of Corteo!
Friends <3: From Left to Right
Gabby, Derek, Alix, Glaucia, Fabio, Paul, Me, Max
2) First Christmas alone with my husband
We woke up and walked down to the beach
We laid in the sun because we are in Rio and that's what you do.
Max took this video to send to his family.
Plus, he still thinks I'm hot after 2.5 years of marriage.
**Not Pictured**
We ate at Nik sushi. Maybe it's not very Christmasy to have sushi,
but it was all you can eat, fresh, and I don't regret it at all. Besides,
it's not very Christmasy to go to the beach or work, but I did both of those.
We walked Ipanema even though everyone said that
we WILL get mugged if we walk on the beach at night.
We did pull-ups because it's on our bucket list.
Somebody ^^^ needs to work on his form.
3) My first premiere!
I missed the Curitiba premiere because we were still in St. Maarten, so Rio de Janeiro was my first premiere show! It was pretty much like every other show except it had the title of premiere and my body was less sore than normal because it's the beginning of the city.
Sunset from the site!
4) Ipanema before work on Friday!
First, we woke up to this.
Then, we went to Ipanema and did this.
When it was too hot, we did this.
I look back on the past several months and it feels like a dream. Technically, it is a dream. I've wanted this adventure since I was a little girl while I was still doing handstands on the kitchen counter, dancing like a ballerina from hallway to hallway, and practicing my beam routine down the grocery aisle. When I was old enough and talented enough to actually apply for Cirque du Soleil, I assumed it was impossible and unrealistic, and I pushed it aside. When Max finally encouraged me to apply (because filling out an application never hurts, right?), I pressed the send button assuming Cirque would get back to me... umm, never.
I think it was all part of God's plan. The Bible says in so many places and in so many ways that God has a perfect love for us, all of us. Despite our disbelief, the relationships we ruined, and the long list mistakes that we just can't seem to forget, He loves us. In Ephesians, Paul wrote that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His work within us.
When I got a phone call from Cirque, God was proving this to me. He didn't have to prove anything to me because He's God and I'm one tiny measly person on this earth, but like I said earlier, He loves us. I think He wanted to remind me that His power is at work within me, and I know He wanted to show me that I shouldn't live my life assuming the next door will be closed even before I fill out the application.
Now I'm 24 years old, and I still do handstands on kitchen counters, dance down the hallways, and sometimes I'll even do a cartwheel at the grocery store. In a lot of ways, I'm the same little girl that I was 12 years ago, but now, I know that things like handstands in the kitchen can potentially lead to traveling the world with my dream job. All I have to do is decide to be brave enough to push the send button and remember that He is able to do immeasurably more.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. -Ephesians 3:14-21
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