Saying Goodbye, Saying Hello

2014, what a year. I can honestly say this year has been one of the most life-changing, eventful years my little family has ever had. We had great loss, we had great gain, we had great change. Through all the events this year has brought, love has remained.

In love, family took us in and we were practically homeless (no, it wasn't THAT bad, but it was not good)

In love, we said goodbye to family members this year that we didn't think we would have to. Hearts ache with their absence, and we think of where they would be now and what they would be doing.

In love, we accomplished goals and passed milestones.

In love, we said more goodbyes as we packed up everything(almost) we had and started a new journey in a new place. Friends and family bid us well and sent us off; people we had never planned to say goodbye to.

In love, we made drastic changes to our circumstances, our family, our home.

In love we welcomed more family members we had longed for, prayed for, and hoped for.

Even though not everything that happened this year was easy, I can look back and see the good. Family came together and clung to each other in heartache. We will forever be closer to each other because of it. We have seen and felt more support from loved ones this year than we could have ever hoped for. We have had a fresh start in a wonderful place. My husband has an amazing job that he loves and worked so hard for. I have a job I always dreamed of and hoped I could have. I have big plans to return to my previous career choice of course, but in this time and this place, my dream is this and this is where I am called to be.

Changed. New. Loss. Family. Goodbye. Hello. BLESSED. Truly Blessed. This is what I will take away with me as this year closes. I am truly, deeply blessed

As I reflect on everything that has taken place, I do have a big ache in my heart. The loss experienced was great. I miss my niece that I never got to know. I miss my friends and coworkers desperately. I miss family we left behind. Sometimes I sit back and just ache with loss and the tears can overtake me. But I also look at all we have gained this year and still I settle with truly blessed. I could not ask for more.

We say goodbye to 2014 tonight. We say goodbye to adventures and trials. Even tough we say goodbye, we can carry on the memories and the love. This year moves into the past, and into our memories. Goodbye 2014.

Hello 2015. Who knows what this year will bring. We can guarantee there will be good and there will also be bad. We will make new memories and love will carry us. I have quite a few New Year's resolutions of course, and most are the usual, overused resolutions. but I make them all the same:
-lose weight (the baby weight plus more that I am 2 years overdue in losing)
-gain more patience
-enjoy every minute even more
-become better off financially
-eat better
-excercise more
-all in all become a better me
-read my Bible more and know Him more

I know that I will not accomplish all these things. We never do. But maybe, just maybe I will do a better job this year than I have in year's past. I wrote it down now. I cannot ignore it. So, welcome 2015, and please, please be good to us