But as I sit here on my couch, the Christmas tree all aglow, snow falling outside, it seems like a perfect time to review the last 11.5 months. As of today I should be done with my work needs for the year, but due to the funny weather (also a theme of the year: heat wave in April, cooler summer, early snow in Dec) I have yet to wrap things up....and that's okay. It'll all get done...and that is also a theme of this year....patience, understanding, time, & continued grace.
My actual goals for this year were:
850 hiking & running
Work on my fear of horses
Take GRE &
Work on Spanish tenses
Start 3rd language
Kayak camping trip
Save $$ &
What actually came to be:
Finances & Future: Thanks to working two jobs this year, the car just got paid off, the credit card got paid off, my student loan continued to be worked on, I was solely financially independent for the first time in years (no renters), and I paid for several unexpected car repairs, vet bills, & 3 travel outings. I also met with two local PhD programs, researched many others, decided not to take the GRE, and finally ended up applying for one local program.
Language: I learned more Swahili this summer and continued to utilize my Spanish, but not to the degree I had hoped. But still better than nothing...and both of these hopefully will increase as I plan to expose the kid to both languages.
Mileage: As of July's travels, I was on track to make my mileage goal but got derailed by the nausea & continual exhaustion of the pregnancy. By the end of September, I probably had 600 miles on the year....and if I was still tracking would probably end the year around 650. I also did not run a race in another state (and while I still could probably sneak one in, I'm okay with this), I did train for & run a half-marathon in July and I did go on jogs/hikes in 3 other countries & 3-4 other states. Good enough :)
Health: Beyond the "set backs" of pregnancy, I had chronic bronchitis again this last winter/spring and a running injury that set in during the half. I took most of the spring to bring my body back up to nutritional par and left the country this summer feeling the best I had in months (minus the knee). I had one acupuncture session in Tanzania, several massages, and I've had routine chiropractic care this fall. I also had all my regular exams finally caught back up this year....and of course now I'm routinely monitored monthly with the pregnancy.
Travels: This is where in hindsight I had the biggest outcomes and I crossed several items off the life goal list. In April, I went to a work conference on the east coast and spent an additional week exploring DC with a friend, road tripping through Vermont/New Hampshire/Maine, and finally meeting fellow blogger Heather. I managed 2 trips to Central Oregon: one in April to camp at my favorite spot with the dogs and one this fall in which I solo hiked a trail that's been on my list for years. In June, I took the dogs on a "last hurray before working full time" backpacking outing to the Wallowas in Eastern Oregon and also visited some of my family over there. In July, we took 16 students and three of us faculty to Tanzania for work. On my way back from that trip I spent a weekend visiting my host sister in Munich and then explored Ireland for a week. In September, two of my gals and I had a great weekend revisiting New Orleans and seeing a lot of the sites I hadn't been able to see previously. In reality, this week I was to be back in Argentina with students, but due to concerns of the controversial Zika that was scratched.
Socially: This was the year that I reconnected with several more old friends and I also feel like I've been able to settle into my extensive friendship network a bit more. I finally made time to reconnect with 2 separate high school buddies who used to be like family, visited with an old military spouse friend in DC, finally met Heather in Maine, hosted a 20+ friend dinner in April, hosted some of my oldest friends this summer, reconnected with an old high school and an old college friend this fall, visited family members I hadn't seen in years, met friends kids I had yet to meet in over a year, fished twice with an old buddy, finally managed a girls getaway weekend trip, and this coming week I'll host an old military contact I haven't seen since we lived in Louisiana. Some of my current relationships have changed but truthfully this is the first time in a long time that I have felt settled into the wonderful and insane amount of great connections that I am blessed to have...and I'm so grateful those connections just keep growing!
Transitions: Obviously the two biggest transitions of the year are that a) I switched over to full-time rather than adjunct positions and b) I became pregnant. Both have switched life over in big ways and will continue to do so. The work transition came at a good time but has been an adjustment....and may adjust back for the next academic year. The pregnancy has been life altering but is probably more of a positive adjustment than I've yet to realize...it's heading life in some more solid directions for sure.
I also learned several important lessons this year. I learned to be even more independent than I was before, I let several relationships naturally transition, I learned to not attempt to control life as much as I want in the big things (but that sometimes it's ok to control the little things), I learned that things can be scary but we have to keep moving forward, I learned that every aspect of life is its own season, and I learned that sometimes what you expect to be fabulous just isn't. I had several moments of apprehension, several moments of joy, several moments of fear, several moments of unease and frustration, several cry fests, several moments of strength, and lots of moments of compassion. This was the year that I reconnected to life vision, re-examined (again) what's important, relished the people in my life, and realized that after all my searching Oregon truly is home. This was a year where while I actively made lots happen, in many ways I felt more like an observer in my own life, watching the scenes unfold and watching others reactions. This was also the year where I felt like my teaching created some life impacting change and that is something I'm relishing but still processing.
Much is on the radar for 2017 and while I'm nervous about some of those changes, I'm attempting to remain as trusting as possible that they will turn out okay. And even with as apprehensive as I am for this next year, I'm still absolutely ready for this year of 2016 to close :)
And for the first time in years, I don't know that I intend to really have many goals for this next year beyond: adjusting to being a mom, attempting to physically normalize as next year progresses, and making sure that my/our financial & health needs are taken care of. If I get into the PhD program then there will be some changes for sure. If I don't, well there will still be changes and decisions on the horizon. There's also a potential trip to Colorado for my nephew's high school graduation on the docket....and I'm daydreaming of actually being able to afford one more dream trip sometime next year or at least a road trip with the kiddo....but we'll see. All of next year is about being flexible while attempting to make the best decisions possible for the future.
But here's to what hopefully will be a safe, happy, healthy, stabilizing end to 2016 for all of us....and to a fulfilling, healthy, happy, safe, rewarding, and grounding 2017 ahead!
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