2013: Bring It On

After a long break for the holidays, I'm finally back. I didn't intend to take such a long amount of time off from blogging, but it just sort of happened. And I'm glad it did. I spent a lot of time with my husband, who had a week and a half off to spend at home with me, resting and relaxing. We saw family, had friends over, and finished the hardest puzzle ever. I feel rejuvenated, and ready for a new chapter of life to begin.

Spencer and I spent New Year's Eve and most of New Year's Day reflecting on 2012, and what a big year it was. So much changed, it's hard to fathom it all. We came to a strong conclusion, though, that it was one of the best year's we have ever experienced. There were a lot of cool trips, and some really great blessings, but the best things were the challenges. We didn't realize, going into 2012, that we would have the hardest year of our lives to date ahead of us. But I am really proud of how we came out on the other side. We are more self-aware, stronger in our marriage, and more intentional in how we live our lives. All in all, 2012 was a bitch but I will cherish it always.

I am usually one for resolutions, but this year, I want to live my life the way that I have been for the last 8 months: with purpose, taking one day at a time, trying my best to accept myself and love myself. Last January, I had all these goals. And some of them were great goals, and once accomplished, they made for great memories that we'll never forget. But some of them were set ups. And I don't want to talk about dieting and juice fasts and fitting into my skinny jeans. I'd rather talk about my strength of character, and my passion for community and living life with intention. These are things that I've spent the better part of last year contemplating, and I just want to keep going.

So for me, the calendar just flipped a page, but I have been hitting the reset button on my life whenever I want. If I want, I can hit it right now. Boom. Reset. I get a new 24 hours of life to live, and I can live it differently if I want. No need to wait for January. No need to wait for a big birthday. Now is the time. It's all I've got.

I've been making a lot of notes about posts, projects and stories I'm eager to tell on the blog this year, and I'm really excited for you all to be a part of it! I hope you had a fabulous and restful holiday season. I also want to thank you for being a part of this community, for your comments and emails, and for showing up to read everyday. You don't have to, and I know that. But I'm really glad you do. I continue to learn so much from my readers, and from the blogging community, and can't wait to see what else you all have up your sleeves in the coming months.

xoxo - Anne