A Look Back at 2019

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As this year is drawing to a close I thought I would take the time and share with you A Look Back at 2019.

As each year comes to an end I like to take the time and contemplate everything that has happened the past 365 days. The good, the bad, the joy, and the heartbreak are some of the elements that come with each passing year.  So, today as another year nears its end, I would like you to join me to take A Look Back at 2019.

You know, time is a funny thing. As each year ends the reality of my age becomes very clear but 2019 has made it even more so. It’s now been two decades since I graduated from high school and lived life as a legal adult. I initially think, “How can that be? It feels like only yesterday when I was sitting in Spanish class learning to conjugate verbs!” But then I stop and think about everything that I’ve experienced in the past twenty years. My mind then responds with, “Yep, I guess that’s about right!”

I remember starting the year in a not very good place. I was heartbroken because Derek and I had to make a very difficult decision the previous month. Our first fur baby, Magic’s time had come to cross the rainbow bridge and be reunited with his younger brother, Salem. He was fifteen years old and we adopted him as a kitten just six months before we got married. It was the first time in our marriage without him and it has definitely been a bit difficult adjusting to life without him.

We didn’t have time to be sad, though, we had our sweet little Luna to think about who was getting lonely without a brother around. We adopted our Potter before the end of January who was not quite eight months old when we adopted him. It took the two of them a little bit of time to get used to each other. At one point I was afraid they never would but now they love each other very much and have a true sibling relationship!

One of the biggest parts of 2019 was this blog. I made the decision at the end of 2018 to shut down my first blog and start over from scratch. I wanted to bring the knowledge that I have curated over the past few years into a new brand. At this point in this new journey I thought I would be much further along than I am now but as you know life throws us curveballs and no matter how hard we work, plan, and prepare things don’t always go our way. It doesn’t stop me from pressing on and I’m hoping to take things up a few notches in 2020!

Travel is always a huge part of our lives and we try to do it as much and as often as we can even if they’re just day trips. We did have a few trips planned this year that we, unfortunately, had to cancel because of life just happening. We did make a considerable amount of trips to the mountains and coast here in North Carolina which are always enjoyable.

I think the best trip this year was when we went to Kentucky for my family reunion. It was the first time in seventeen years since I’d been back to Prestonsburg and I’m so glad we were able to spend that long weekend in the place that my grandmother grew up and my mother was born. It was also an incredibly relaxing trip. I felt so rejuvenated by the time we left but it’s no surprise considering what an amazing host my cousin, Johnny is!

One of the biggest things I’ve observed the past couple of months is that Derek and I are in a season of change. It’s a bit funny, actually, because I remember being in a similar situation about this time ten years ago. It’s quite overwhelming and stressful but it’s exciting, too. Derek is in the process of promotion and getting his own store. He’s already had quite a few offers and we were seriously considering an opportunity all the way up in Wisconsin. We’ve decided to hang out here for now but you never know what the future might bring!

I think the best part of 2019 was celebrating fifteen years of marriage with Derek this past April. It’s so hard to believe we’ve been married for that long. I feel like we were just celebrating our tenth and I blinked! I’m learning that blinking is very bad as you get older! We celebrated by taking a day trip to our favorite mountain town, Blowing Rock. (I know, surprise, surprise!) We then ended the day indulging at our favorite Raleigh steak house, Angus Barn.

I feel so blessed to still be living every day with the love of my life. Life can be so hard at times and it’s very comforting knowing that your best friend and partner in life is standing next to you in those moments. We comfort each other in bad times and celebrate the joys of life together.

As we start a new year, chapter, and decade I anxiously look forward to what tomorrow will bring. Happy New Year to you and your family and may God bless us all with great joy in this season of new beginnings. Thank you for joining me on A Look Back at 2019.