2013 Recap!

          My poor blog has sat in neglect since March of 2013. I really haven't written anything meaningful since December 28, 2012--one whole year ago! Has it been so long? "Where have you been?!" is what I am sure my blog would ask if it were a person. So the short, undetailed version of 2013 goes like this: Benny went to Afghanistan February to September. Kids really struggled during this deployment, but for me I didn't think it was that hard. I saw my sister during the summer, haven't seen her since 2007. August I started school, knocking out prereqs for nursing and hopefully I can get in next fall. I lost like six pounds because of school, but they came back quickly with this winter break! Benny has applied for early retirement, so we could be entering the civilian world and leaving the Marine Corps behind next year--scared/excited.          
 
          2013 has been a very busy year, and I believe the year that I was able to push myself to focus on myself.  So for me 2013 has been a good year, one of revelations and personal growth. This year has revealed that before now I have never believed in myself. Never. I have always been a very self-doubting, self-defeating, underachieving person who felt that I had nothing to give, nothing to offer.  I knew I had some labels attached to me: a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister.  I am proud to be all those things, but beyond that I felt like I was nothing more and would never become anything more. Sounds so miserable and depressing. The truth is I was one miserable, depressed person.  Who wants to be around THAT? Instead of seeing the mixture of heartbreak and failures of the past as reasons not to try, but as reasons to try harder.
 

          While I still need some work--who doesn't!--I'm pretty happy that I've come out of hiding.
            

 

So here is my old list of New Year's resolutions for 2013:

1. Learn something new. (Went back to school this year. 4.0 GPA--never thought I could do it! Hardwork + freaking out+cramming)
2. Volunteer. (This is going on the 2014 list)
3. Get certified in something. (This is going on the 2014 list)
4. Go somewhere I've never been. (Myrtle Beach, SC)
5. Grow a garden!  Have never been able to grow my own garden. (Attempted "gardening" counts, right?)
6. Dance and sing more! (Can't remember if I danced and sang more...)
7. Hike in NC. (It rains too much + bugs.  No thanks)
8. Get artsy again. (No time to be artsy. So 2014 "Write more" instead.)
9. Eat more whole foods. (We started doing mostly GF this year. Hoping to go completely GF next year.)
10. Build something. (Building a fence in 2014?)

          Who know what will happen in 2014.  All I know is that I'm pretty sure that it is going to be one full of change--I'll write about it all later!   If there are bumps in the road then I feel confident that we will get over them like we always do.

2014 New Year's resolution (not in any order):

1. Learn something new.
2. Volunteer.
3. Get certified.
4. Get a job!
5. Pass the TEAS test.
6. Run.
7. Grow a vegetable garden--For real this time.
8. Write more.
9. Build something.
10. Enjoy the outdoors again.
11. Oh yeah, more foodie pics.