As I wrap up 2015, I’ve decided to participate in an ecourse called, Honoring Your Story. One large aspect of this course is journaling. I’ve decided to do that here, as a part of my blog. It seems like a great fit and it’s a good practice in sharing, even when it feels very vulnerable – and this does. I’m not sure what will come up and I’m going to share it here – no matter what.

Here is my first post (and some will carry into 2016, I’m sure)…

In 2015, some of the things that changed were…

even though it felt like I was more active in some ways, I didn’t get on my bike or in my kayak as much as I would have liked and my flexibility suffered.  I feel stiff.  Instead we spent our time camping with our new camper and it was definitely the year of concerts – I can’t believe how many we saw.  Although two of my favorite activities took a backseat, I had a blast camping and embracing the summer concerts…music is such a big part of my life. I’m also looking forward to adding more biking and kayaking back in for 2016 and balancing it with the camping and concerts.

My daughter wasn’t living with us at the beginning of the year but moved back towards the end of the year temporarily.  It’s so different having even one more person in the house.  I enjoyed having her here for a short time and miss her now that we don’t connect as often but it’s also good for her to be on her own.  She turned 21 this year and I feel like I truly don’t have kids any more.  I have two adult daughters who I am both proud of and enjoy spending time with.

The things that stayed the same for 2015 included my work, for the most part.  I continue to fine-tune things and had more free time as the year came to a close and I enjoyed that a lot.

My relationship with my husband continued to grow.  Many of you know we were separated for about three years and I can’t believe where we’ve ended up.  It’s so different than the first 20 years of marriage!  I love having found this space with him and having a routine in our lives that works for both of us.

Mid-year I introduced a monthly sewing day with a friend.  It’s been a great opportunity to get away once a month and work on a project regularly.  We plan on continuing them and I almost wish they happened more than they do.

I’m really grateful for both the changes and the things that stayed the same.  Change can be scary sometimes but it’s always good in the end, either for reflection and growth or just plain enjoyment.  The status quo provides the same opportunities for growth but can also be a safe place to land for a period of time.  I really enjoy both and am grateful for all I’ve experienced in the past year.