December 31, 2023 - Sunday

Looking Back on the Good: 2023

Since I did nothing today, other than sulk around the house, feeling like garbage, I thought I might make this post an expression of gratitude. It has been a wonderful year, and here are the highlights: 

- I got lots of time to hang out with Ollie 1-on-1, while the big kids were in school. We went all kinds of places and visited lots of people together! We went on walks, held hands, snuggled, and enjoyed just being with each other. We had lots of playdates with Brittany, Jenny, Christine, Anne, and our two play groups, AND I got to take her to ballet and gymnastics!

- We had a St. Patrick's Day game night with HC at our house and did Yaeger bombs! I don't think I need to say much more about that. I obviously was the slowest, but how many people can say that they got to drink Yaeger bombs alongside the people they worship God with? 

- We sowed seeds in milk jugs in the back yard and all of our seeds sprouted!! It was SO EXCITING. The garden was ultimately a failure, but a great learning opportunity for me. 

- Our family took a trip to Fredericksburg, OH again this year and loved getting a break from the winter drudgery. 

- We hosted a big Easter egg hunt at our house and actually had a good turnout! Kamola came with her girls and Kwin and Ashley came with theirs, along with a bunch of HC families. I think the Shauls may have come too? But I can't remember. It was messy and hectic and hunting was over in 2 minutes, after hours of work, but so worth it!

- We finally visited the Olentangy Caverns!!!

- We FINALLY finished building our deck! It's been nearly done for two years, but, in May, we finally finished the railings and banisters. We also began rebuilding our bathroom and did several other small home improvement projects around the house. We're learning how to do things with our own hands and also learning to take home problems in stride.

- I celebrated my 40th birthday alongside many of my very favorite people in the world! I could not have asked for a better party and couldn't have felt more loved by my friends and family. It was a beautiful night and I'm so grateful to everyone who helped us pull it off. 

- Our little family took a trip down to Pawley's Island, SC again this year. And, although I was pretty depressed for the whole time, I am incredibly grateful that we're in a position to take family vacations...even very expensive ones like these. It's probably more fun for us to go with other people and we're not going to do this again in 2024, but that almost makes the experience sweeter. 

- We started studying FRENCH as a family! I love the curriculum that we chose, but especially love how jazzed the kids are to start learning this new language. This has been a dream of mine since I was a college student, being able to carry my love for French over into my family life. 

- WATER! This one might seem a little silly, but our pool worked again this year, praise God! We also got a membership to the "big pool" and went several times every week, AND we went to the splash pad frequently and would often stop and grab Bubble Teas while we were there. Just lots of time spent having fun together. I don't always love summers because, well, HEAT, but I do love all of this time spent with people. Also, pool parties! And lots and lots of creeking! And even the hot tub!

- We started homeschooling this year and it is going really, really well! We're learning, having fun, arguing some, but feel safe, sleep better, are healthier, are living life more fully, and are just happier in general with this lifestyle. We've made awesome new friends and are having a blast. 

- OH. This gets its own line. WATCHING FIREWORKS FROM BEN'S OFFICE!!!! Amazing. Absolutely amazing. 

- Another trip to Cherrystone! It's a long drive and a hot, sweaty week, but how amazing is it that so much of my family comes and spends an entire week together? We don't have TV and have limited internet. We just have time with each other. I'm not saying this is the most fun in the world or anything, but I missed these trips for 10 years and I'm really thankful that we've made it for the last two. Scheduling may prevent us from going in 2024, so I'm just going to cherish getting to have these memories. 

- I got to reconnect with Lena and Megan! They drove out 500 miles to visit with me. Just WOW. 

- Concerts! Okay, there were only two of them, but two was enough for us, I think. :) We saw Paramore and Nathanial Rateliff. Very different shows! But helped to remind us that we LOVE music and we love spending time with each other, ALONE! 

- Okay, I know I already mentioned homeschooling, but our co-ops have been such a blessing. Tons of cool field trips, great people, nature hikes and journaling, and lots of building in for me and the kids with other fun families. I cannot even express my gratitude for these groups.

- MAINE!!! Oh, how we love it there so much. I'm grateful we got another trip out. It's all of our favorite place. 

- I guess I'll list here MtG and the Albinos. Truthfully, I don't feel very thankful for either right now, but they've both been great for Ben in some ways, and have broken him out of his shell, and are giving him something of a social life. 

- MY HUSBAND. Our dates. Our evenings together. And ESPECIALLY, our trip out to UP, MI. <3 Marriages go through so much change throughout the years. Crazy in love, newlyweds, the excitement of new babies, the overwhelm of having little kids, forgetting to care about each other as much, forgetting to make time for each other, then the kids getting old enough for you to either rekindle things or let them fall away. We're in the rekindling phase, I think, and I'm loving it. 

- My home church! Our monthly hangouts are really wonderful, a true blessing in my life, along with the playdates that we don't have frequently, but we did a lot of over the summer. We had THE BEST retreat and my kids are finally old enough that going away and having all of us sleep in one room is actually a possibility! The retreat was pretty wonderful and the weather was perfect. The ladies sphere retreat was really fun too and I was so thankful to get that time with those of us who went.

- My parents. They came out to help us renovate our bathroom and spent weeks here, along with several other trips out over this year. I feel so much closer to them, having had that concentrated time together. And, after that, me and the kids went out and spent 5 more days with them. Also a really good time! It's just nice to be with people enough that you're your true self when you're around them and not that polished version of yourself. 

- My kids! They've been flexible and awesome this past year. They're all growing so much and so fast. I have so much more freedom now that they're bigger and I'm starting to feel like myself again...even if myself is sometimes depressed and poopy. 

- My friends. I have a loyal, loving, devoted network of friends. There is never a moment in my life when I feel like I have no one. I don't feel like I have that childhood best friend kind of relationship anymore, but I have a dozen women in my life that I can call when I'm sad, happy, needing to celebrate, or needing a big hug. 

I'm so grateful to be so well loved. I never could have imagined the incredible life that I have now and couldn't ask for anything better (except from my own darn self!). Thank you, God, for giving me a wonderful 2023!