Slider

Welcome 2020! A Look Back on the Past Decade

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Good morning, friends, from a brand new year...and decade! 


How did 2019 treat you? 

I know and have seen from others' posts that 2019 was a tough year for many. I personally know a few people who endured the loss of very close family members last year, and I know from experience that those losses will forever color the memory of 2019 when they look back. For anyone who was beat up a little (or a lot) last year, I hope turning this page to a new year -- a new decade, even -- provides some sense of newness and hope. It's interesting that, since all we have to truly live in is the present moment, hope is such a crucial aspect of life. We must have it in order to step forward into each and every new day, new challenge. Hope and gratitude make all the difference.

Speaking of gratitude, I have so much of it for the past year. There were many firsts for us in 2019, including big family changes like the start of full day kindergarten and three half days of preschool for my two oldest girls. In the midst of all of that, we welcomed our greatest gift of the year: sweet Isabelle Joy. Anticipating her arrival all year long and then finally meeting her in September was, without a doubt, our family's highlight. We had some challenges in the early part of the year with what seemed like non-stop sickness and, hardest of all, a decline in health for our beloved pup Layla. Truth be told, she hasn't been doing so well again lately and it's hard. But all in all, 2019 will go down in the books as a very happy and memorable year for us.


As far as the past decade goes, it has really shaped my life and who I am today. I went from 22-32, which is really just a whole lot of growing up. Steve and I got married in 2010 (yep, 10 years this May!) and moved to New Jersey at the same time. In 2011 we settled into newlywed life in our little one-bedroom apartment and I commuted hours to my first real full-time, grown up job which taught me a lot about what I do and don't want for my career. It gave me so much perspective as I accepted a new job in 2012, the job I still have today, believe it or not! Steve also graduated from law school in 2012 and began his career. During these years we also took advantage of the fact that we didn't have kids yet and traveled to Mexico, Bermuda, and Jamaica. Those years were (mostly) carefree, but we knew we wanted more.




In 2013 we welcomed our first baby girl, our Carrington, and life changed forever in every way. My grandma also passed away at this time. It's funny how life often hands you something really hard, and something really beautiful at the same time. 2014 was all about navigating new motherhood, and I also really built a community around myself in my newish state during this year. 2015 was hard. We lost my uncle and my grandma's longtime companion, who was like a grandfather to us. We experienced a miscarriage. It was a difficult year.


We got our rainbow after the storm in 2016 when our bundle of love and energy, Hadley, arrived in July just three days before my birthday. We experienced more loss on New Year's Eve 2016 when my aunt passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer.


In 2017 I turned 30, and between 2017 and 2018 we spent plenty of time making memories as a family of four. Beach trips, amusement parks, new experiences with two kids. It's all honestly a blur, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Which brings us to last year, the year we completed our tiny girl gang, and to this year: who knows what it will hold?


The unknown can be a little scary, but with a heart full of gratitude for what is and a pocketful of hope for what will be, it looks more like an adventure. My wish for you, and for us, is that we experience lots of soul-stretching growth, side-splitting laughter, and wide-eyed wonder in the next decade. In fact, if I were to choose a word I hope to define 2020 (I know choosing a word of the year is a thing!), it would be wonder, which is defined as:

A feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. 

Let's rise to meet the unexpected, unfamiliar, and inexplicable with wonder and admiration this year, no matter how big or small it may be. Here we go, friends!


2 comments:

  1. It's amazing how much can change in a year yet alone a decade. What beautiful memories and moments you have created for your family. I hope this next decade is even more special for you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it? Everything can change, really. Thank you so much! And I hope the same for you! xo

      Delete

CopyRight © | Theme Designed By Hello Manhattan