Year in Review

A friend recently asked me what the best and worst moments of 2013 were, and as I thought back it was truly hard to believe the incredible amount of change that has occurred in the past 365 days.

Here's a really brief summary of my year:

8... months of accutane

5... years of marriage

5... countries visited (US, Canada, Haiti, Slovenia, Croatia. My first real mission trip and my first trip to Europe in the same year! I never would've seen that coming.)

4... distinct seasons of life conveniently marked by the seasons of the year (a dark winter, a testing spring, a leap of faith and lessons in rest and trust this summer, and relief and abundance this fall)

3... number of new jobs I've had in the past year 

3... number of oceans I visited! (Pacific, Atlantic, and Adriatic Sea. Amazing.)

2... Gospel Communities

2... times we drove to DFW, effectively doubling the number of times we've visited since moving 4 years ago. Miss that place!

1... blog redesign. Click over to check it out! (Credit to Jessi from Naptime Diaries for working so patiently with me.)

1... graduate school class. Yikes. (Halfway done, but in a holding pattern right now.)

1.... precious baby on its way!


Here's another summary via my Instagram pictures!  To avoid confusion, keep in mind the video starts with this December and moves backward, ending last January. Whew! What a year.

'Summer Vacation'

I've been off work for a month. A month!

The first week, I really didn't move from the couch. I mean, I went to a Continuing Education seminar on breastfeeding, and I went to the doctor and the dentist and all those things I needed to catch up on. But mostly, I napped and read the first 4 Harry Potter books and watched all the Harry Potter movies, because that's how summer vacation should start.

I also cried a lot.

The following week, I got out more, started working out again, and found myself insanely happy some days. Sunshine will do that to me.

Last week was more or less consumed with 4th of July fun.

And now, after a busy week of job interviews and job shadowing, it's somehow Friday again. Four weeks since my last day at work.

I really thought I'd be back on the blogging train with all this (theoretical) time on my hands. But not yet, I guess. The words still haven't come.

I also really thought I'd have a job by now. This time of 'rest' has been shaking a lot of things loose in my heart and I'm still trying to wrap my head around God's love, His perfect plan, and my place in that plan. It hasn't been easy, but I'm so grateful.

A thought to leave you with:

Worry is not believing God will get it right, and bitterness is believing God got it wrong.    -Timothy Keller

What I'm Loving this Wednesday

1.) This guy.

2.) Running at sunrise.

3.) Body pump. Due to scheduling conflicts, I wasn't able to go for two weeks. Going back this morning hurt so good.

4.) Squishy baby cheeks. Taking a new primary patient at work has been good for my heart.

5.) Accupuncture. I've been going for the better part of this year and it's so worth it.

6.) A Lineage of Grace. Kind of like clean historical fiction. Except it's based off of women in the Bible. And it's opened my eyes to the fact that they were real people, too! God always uses brokenness and redemption for His glory.

7.) Instagram. I'm so late to the game, and my iPod touch takes kind of grainy pictures, but I still love sharing them. And looking at everyone else's pictures is like the Facebook without the TMI status updates, whining, and political rants.

8.) Summer Vacation! I'm off for 4 more weeks before the sheer madness of clinical teaching, working, and taking classes begins again. Don't remind me.

9.) Possibilities. Sometimes thinking about the future is like glancing into an alternate universe. Who knows where I'll be in 1 year? Or five years? Teaching science at a grade school or high school? Getting another certification in the maternal/child nursing field? Mission trips? WOOFing?

10.) My balcony garden.

11.) Listening to sermons on my iPod while cleaning the apartment. Why didn't I start doing this sooner?

12.) Summer sunsets.

13.) Farmer's market produce (really, I should just write an ode to summer).

14.) Homemade juice.

15.) The gluten-free, dairy-free dessert menu at Cafe Gratitude. I'm sure my eyes popped out of my head when I realized I could order anything without having my choice come back to bite me later.

16.) Above all of these, I'm so thankful for new eyes to see God's work in my life!

What makes you happy right now?