4:09pm.
I'm sitting in our living room, buried under a soft fuzzy blanket. Johnnyswim is airplaying from my phone to the new Apple TV. The hubby shared a handful of peanut butter M&M's with me a few minutes ago and I still have the peanuty creamy flavor in my mouth.
Today has been a little rough. A combination of factors that include not feeling 100% for a variety of reasons and miscommunication and lack of communition and resurfacing hurts from the past.
Earlier this afternoon I snuck away and drove around town and ended up on a trail through the woods. And it was just what this weary soul needed.
There was only one other guy on the trail (with his adorable dog, whom I most definitely smothered with a little love). The gentleman and I chatted about our dogs and then moved along and I walked away grateful for how even a tiny conversation about furry pets with a stranger can brighten a day.
And I just breathed. I didn't experience any profound thoughts or have a deeply meaningful prayer time or have some life changing revelation. I just breathed in and out and enjoyed the winter solitude.
Life is so full and messy and beautiful and ugly and amazing and painful and overwhelming and incredible and c-r-A-z-y. And I allow myself to get too caught up and lose focus and race from one thing to the next and bounce from one emotion to another, without pausing to truly feel and experience each beautiful day, with the pain that's mixed in.
2016 was a little bizarre. I'd like to pause for a moment and reflect on what it held, amidst all it's ups and downs and twists and turns.
in the past twelve months I...
Planned an entire wedding in four months.
Moved.
Got weirdly ill for an entire month up until the day before our wedding.
Got married.
Honeymooned at Lake Tahoe.
Had job hours cut and started a new second job.
Started a home business.
Experienced the first few intense months of a new marriage.
Road tripped thousands and thousands of miles and saw loads of beauty and cool things and awesome people.
Paid off all of our debt.
Switched all of my health care providers.
Completely upped my health & nutrition game plan.
Lost my surgery weight gain and fit back into my clothes..
Made new friends and felt the pain of other friends changing.
Helped my husband begin a youth Bible study in our home.
Began overcoming my fear of speaking in front of people.
Those are just the highlights and there are other little stories of God's faithfulness and grace and provision that I may share at another time.
As we enter 2017 in just a matter of hours (it's now 5:44pm), my mind and heart and soul are swirling with plans and desires and passion and inspiration. I'll save that for another post... God is great and God is good and He is worthy of all praise!
Happy New Year's Eve!