Happy New Year’s Eve! It’s hard to believe that today is the last day of 2012 – time flies when you’re having fun!
Here are some highlights from this past year…
Marriage: We celebrated 5 years of marriage (8 years together) on July 28th with a wonderful trip to Northern California. We had an absolute blast road-tripping from San Francisco, to wine country, to Yosemite, down to Carmel and Monterey, and back up to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was by far one of the best trips I’ve ever taken, and such a great way to commemorate all the positive growth, change, and love we’ve shared as a couple. I praise God for bringing such a wonderful man into my life!
Home: My hubby has worked diligently on finishing our basement. My home office was completed in October, and he is now in the process of finishing the larger living space, complete with a home theater and bar area. It is going to be absolutely AMAZING when it is complete. I cannot wait to entertain our family and friends in our new space!
Spiritual: I completed two bible studies (James: Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore and Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break by Kelly Minter) with two fabulous groups of ladies. I hosted the Nehemiah study in my home with a group of friends, and it was a lovely experience. We shared in meals, fellowship, and quality study of God’s Word and I so enjoyed that set-aside time every week. I really hope to do this again soon! I was also introduced to the #SheReadsTruth online community and ended up completing five bible reading plans with them. Doing this has been a great addition to my morning quiet time with the Lord.
Fitness: This year was by far my BEST since beginning my “Get Fit” journey three years ago! I have managed to keep off the 40 pounds I’ve lost and have become more toned, strong, and fast than I ever thought possible. I give all the glory to God – this whole process has confirmed to me that NOTHING is impossible and I can do ALL things with Him! Milestones include…
- Total Miles (2012): 890.65 miles
- Total Miles (Jan 1, 2010 – December 31, 2012): 1588.29 miles
- Races (2012): 3 5Ks, 1 7K, 2 10Ks, 3 Half-Marathons
- PR: 5K (24:41), 10K (49:51), 13.1 (1:54:54)
- Added bonus: A picture of me running enthusiastically landed on the front page of the Lansing State Journal the day after the Lansing Half-Marathon in April. I was also the Female Overall Winner for the 5K I completed in October. (These little extras make all the hard training worth it!)
Professional: A year to the day that I began my job (March 21), I changed positions. I am incredible grateful for this new role and the opportunities and growth it has provided me. I appreciate having a job where I can use my skills and education, and where I am also encouraged to spread my wings and have the autonomy to make decisions and think for myself. Not every job allows for that, and after a season of unemployment prior to this job, I feel so blessed by God for putting me in a good place.
Fun: This year was filled with adventure, smiles, and good times overall…
1) Travel:
*Florida (February) –Enjoyed the Walt Disney World Resort with my hubby and his students who competed in the National Association of Home Builders Annual Residential Construction Competition in Orlando.
*Colorado (March) – Visited Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, and Denver as part of our annual trip to ski, hike, and visit friends and family.
*Texas (April) – Experienced San Antonio with my dad in order to see my brother graduate from basic training at Lackland AFB. A quick but fun trip indeed!
*California (July) – Anniversary Trip!
*Minnesota (October) – Went to Minneapolis-St. Paul with my boss and a co-worker for the Praxis International Advocacy Learning Center Social Change Advocacy Seminar. In addition to the seminar, we wined, dined, and shopped at the Mall of America and downtown Minneapolis.
2) Seeing my nephew, Jace Ryan, three times this year – in Colorado, Texas, and here at home. Having him stay with us while he was here this fall was pure joy! We love him so much and appreciate all the smiles he brings to our family. Although I wish we lived closer, I cherish our times together and look forward to another visit very soon!
3) Summertime in Ludington – We are so grateful for having a little “home away from home” in the spring / summer months. We love being on the big lake and having the weekends up there to relax, unwind, and let loose with those we love.
4) Time spent doing more cooking, baking, photography, writing, reading, etc. I have found that being creative helps me relieve stress and adds a lot of joy to my life.
5) Connecting with family and friends over birthdays, holidays, trips, church, running, etc. So happy to have such wonderful and supportive people in our lives!
As you can see, this year was FULL of God’s goodness. It doesn’t mean there weren’t difficulties or challenges, because there were, but I choose to look at the good things, and in doing so, I am incredibly grateful for all that I have been blessed with and reminded that life is so very precious and it is important to make the most of each and every day.
I pray that the New Year will bring more amazing opportunities and experiences to grow, love, connect, serve, and reach new heights! Cheers to 2012!