Good-Bye 2019

I can't believe that this year is already over, it also occurred to me that tonight is the first night in a year that I have logged into this account or even written a blog post.

This has been a major big year of change for our family, and I honestly didn't have time for anything else but adjusting....

It has been a year of growth, change, and working through (and I am continuing) working through the hard stuff, at times it can be so disheartening and just plain sucky, but I am optimistic that our future will not be here forever, and that one day we will be surrounded by true nature and beauty again.

At the beginning of this year Nate resigned from his job as a firefighter because it was no longer serving our family or his physical well-being any more.  It was rough, he was never home, always tired, and it was just not worth it.  Instead he decided to go back to school full time, and serve as the youth pastor at out church.

Before this big change, I had already signed up and paid to go back to school - I figured almost 10 years into motherhood that it was about time that I finish up some school.  The kids are older, a little more self-sufficient and doesn't need me to hover at all times.  So that is what I did - I went back to school, and I finished well.... for once in the last 12 years I did something for myself and it felt amazing.

I also conquered some of my own health issues - and let me just say that it feels freaken amazing to take charge, and make changes, and see the long lasting results - I never ever want to go back to that place....

This year our whole little family made a few sacrifices to make it all happen, and workout. We didn't do a whole lot because we had a big trip planned to South Africa the week after I graduated from school, so we took the rest of the year slow, and mindfully, intentionally picking what was worth our time and what not. 

I think 2020 is going to be a good year - Nate will graduate at the end of this year with his Bachelors, and on to his masters, I am starting my Nutritional Therapy practice, we are hoping to start the slow and steady process of making plans to eventually move to somewhere that will better serve our family's needs, and Ian will be jumping into the double digits - say what!!!

I hardly took any pictures this year, and it has actually been pretty great to just sit back and enjoy every present moment.  One of my goals for 2020 is to do this more, and to have social media free weekends....

I have focused a lot of mindfulness, and it has been so freeing to release that you are not bound by this world, the stuff, or having to keep up with the neighbors.  You can just be you, now, in the moment, no more and no less.

** You can see 2014 here, 2015 here, 2016 here, 2017 here, 2018 here.

Here are a few documented parts of our 2019!
Enjoy!

April
Happy Easter!

May
Happy Mother's Day!

Happy
Happy birthday, Nate!

June
Happy Father's Day!

First day of school.  (fourth and second grade)

July
Happy Anniversary {11 years}

August
Happy birthday, Hayleigh!

 

Happy Birthday, Chantal!

September
Happy Birthday, Ian!

November
Hello South Africa
Cape Town.....

After 40+ years of service, my dad retired from the military - and it was such a beautiful event!

And of course some family time, it was a super short trip... and I miss them already!

December
Oh, Christmas Tree!

Hello, Santa!

Merry Christmas!

***

As always I love looking through all our pictures, and thinking about the year and everything that took place, all the stories, some tears and heartache, the happy parts - all of it is woven into our lives - teaching us and training us for what is next.

I am so happy to be done with school, and starting this next chapter of life - more school for Nate, growing my practice, and homeschooling my kids.  With a few adventures in between.

Good-bye 2019 - thank you for showing me that I can!

Hello 2020 - can't wait to see what you behold!

Happy new year from our little family, to yours

Good-Bye 2018

How on earth did this year fly by so fast?  Just like that another year done and over with.

I am so happy that since our much regretted move back to the United States, life over the last two years have gotten a little better, and I guess a lot of it has to do with being gratitude.

We have done well this year in exploring, improving our family life, and just find balance to cultivate what we want in this life

We are making some more major changes this year (more on that later - waiting on it to finalize,) but it occurred to me one day that no just magically have a happy life - they kind of create that happy life.  So at this end of this year Nate and I have decided that we need a few more changes, and we are patiently and excitedly waiting to see what will happen.

We have continued to separate ourselves from the things that creates unnecessary stress, the things that just doesn't fill us up but instead creates division and tension in our home.  This year I have learned the power of no, and that you know what? It is ok to say no to events, dinners out, a million activities.  This alone has been so amazing.

I tend to get overwhelmed easily, and I really don't like being out and about every single day of the week, I need home days - just to recuperate, tidy up, and be still.

We were able to do a lot of amazing things this year, and I am so grateful for all the opportunities and the growth that has taken place - some parts was much more intense and painful then others, but looking back it was necessary in the journey towards wholeheartedness.

Our future and 2019 looks so bright (it is frightening and exciting all in the same breath.)

My creative juices have been going for a few weeks now, and I am so excited for two big projects that are in the works.

Thank you 2018 for such a beautiful year, filled with so many adventures.

** You can see 2014 here, 2015 here, 2016 here, 2017 here.

Our 2018 in pictures.
Enjoy

Our Christmas

This Christmas season has gone by so fast, I feel like it always does.  Besides the fact that both my kids spiked fevers and were miserable, it was fun of my favorites.  It was the first year that I have been super intentional about the things will do, and the things we will not do, and it was fantastic.  We should have cultivated this approach years ago.

The freedom that has come with this decisions, and they difference it has made in my kids overall December behavior has been so awesome.  They were not stretched thin, overtired, and overstimulated, or on a constant sugar rush.  That alone made everything so much more enjoyable.

Ian got hit the worse with a croup, he was out for days, and barely made it to Christmas morning.  We has a slow Christmas morning, and by mid-morning he was feeling so much better, that we decided to go ahead with our plans and head to Oklahoma to spend some time with my au-pair family.

I was thrilled that my kids actually slept in on Christmas day, most people who know us well know that my kids do not sleep in at all, never have and probably never will.  So I was delighted when on Christmas we didn't have the extra early 05:30 wake up call - score!

We were able to get up slowly, and make some tea, turn on the twinkly lights, our fake fire place, and just get lost in the beauty of it all.

Christmas makes me so happy, and I love having kids to share it with - it makes everything so much more exciting!

 **

Everything Christmas {Before Actual Christmas}

Like in good old Cook fashion, our house was filled with sickness prior and over Christmas - it is like a new tradition that has lasted for the last five years.  Without fail someone of (two) have been sick.

Thank goodness I have lowered some of my standards, and also said no to the hustle so it was near as stressful to just check out, be home, and get well.

We had a few flurries a little while ago, and of course my kids were over the moon - they headed outside to stand in the flurries half way through breakfast.  I can't wait for the day we can be somewhere with legit snow, because they will go wild for it.

 **