This will be my fourth year doing an "...in Retrospect," and I must say, I quite enjoy my year-end reviews. It's a great time to look back on all that happened over the last year, and to see the ways God has provided and taught.
Over the course of this year, I've lived in two different places in two different zip codes. I've had two different jobs in four different towns. I'm part of two different (both amazing) church families.
Is it sad that it excites me that all of these things only come in TWOS?! For all the changes I've gone through this year, it really has been a year of stability for me.
I started off the year living in Ankeny, working at a daycare. I loved working with the kids, but I knew from the beginning it was a transition job, and I was restless for all of January and February. Helen began her time at Cedarville in January, and April moved from Ankeny back to Farmington in December. I was lonely and restless with no ideas in sight.
In February, I took a road trip with the Yellow House family out to Ohio to surprise my sister and to see Caleb in Cedarville's production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat." It was SO MUCH FUN to surprise Helen and to see the play and to just be together. And even for all the fun times travelling with the Petersons, who by the way aren't the "do it as fast as we can" types when it comes to travelling. HA!
Then, at the end of February, a friend of mine told me of a job hiring close to my parents' home in Southeast Iowa, at the bank I've frequented since my childhood. I jumped at the opportunity, and long story short, I was hired! I moved home at the end of March and began my new job on March 25. I was nervous about taking this job because I was so tired of job hopping! I really REALLY wanted this to be the job for me... for longer than a year. And (spoiler alert) it has been probably the BEST job I've ever had! It had its ups and downs (see prior posts from 2013), but so far I can say that I LOVE my job. For real this time. And for the long haul, too, I believe!
When I came home for my interview in early March, we celebrated my dad's 50th birthday with the family. We had cake and food and family-togetherness. I'm so thankful for our family patriarch. He is such a blessing to our family in his leadership, in his example, and in his outlook on life.
In April, we celebrated Easter with the family, and my older sister brought her boyfriend for a first-meet with the family. Oh boy.... if only Jason had known what he was in for.
Summer quickly came, and we spent even more time together. Daniel came home from his year in Peru, and Laura came home from her first semester at Cedarville. We were finally all together again! We spent the summer doing things like visiting Nauvoo, spending the 4th of July at Lacey Lake, and going on Vacation. Once again, we vacationed in Nebraska/Colorado. I spent two days of solitude in Denver with my aunt and uncle, then when the family joined me, we visited the zoo and Uncle Waldo & Aunt Marlene. OH! And Lindsey and Jason got engaged in August, too!
Summer also included my 5-year high school reunion. We celebrated in July by getting together for an evening. Most of my friends from high school were there, and it was so much fun to see everyone again! It was so great to catch up with everyone and to see where we all ended up and what we're all doing.
Autumn arrived with bursts of color, and Helen went back to Ohio. I left Donnellson behind and started full-time in Mt. Pleasant, which wasn't good until I let go of what I wanted and said YES to God's leading. In October, Leah and I went out to Ohio to surprise Helen for her 21st Birthday! We had SO MUCH FUN! And the surprise was ours when we got to spend time with Aunt Linda, whom we hadn't seen in way too long! We had such a great weekend together. Even the drive out and back was fun!
November came, and we began preparing for Thanksgiving. Once again, I did my "Thankful Thoughts" blogs, and for the first time in the three years I've been doing it, I actually posted every single day on that date! I was so proud of myself! We celebrated Thanksgiving a little differently this year, as most of the family had to work on Thanksgiving. Jason brought the girls over and spent the day with us. We put up our Christmas tree and hung out. Then on Saturday, we celebrated with our usual houseful of family and togetherness.
December arrived with a schedule full of activity. I celebrated my 24th birthday with mom in Des Moines, where we shopped and ate and saw "The Polar Express" in the imax. The following weekend, we celebrated the wedding of Lindsey to Jason, and the making of a new family! We had our Christmas cantata at church that weekend, too. Helen and I ended the year by taking a trip to see our Yellow House family last weekend, and spending time with our family and friends in Des Moines.
God has been so faithful this year in his blessing of family. As I re-read this post, I realize that it's almost entirely about spending time with my family, and I am so blessed! I also see God's faithfulness in the provision of a job I love, and the lessons He has taught me through this process of finding my place at the bank. 2013 has been a great year, and I'm so looking forward to 2014 as another opportunity to grow!
