Everybody Put Your Best Suit or Dress On
The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is always a weird one--busy but slow with long to-do lists and automatic out-of-office email responses. The flurry of shopping and gift wrapping is over and we have a few days to catch our breath before the celebrations kick up again one last time. I kind of like it when I'm forced to slow down and take things as they come each day, even though most times it's a lot more challenging for me than it may seem at first.
We spent the weekend in Roanoke, drinking cocktails and seeing old friends and holding new babies. It was the perfect way to round out the holiday season. Now I'm looking forward to spending a few days reflecting on another year and looking ahead at what's to come in 2015.
2014 was the year that Rob and I began our marriage. I was 25 years old and everything was beautiful and our friends and family were there and walking up to him on that May afternoon was one of the happiest moments of my life. We laughed and cried and vowed to love each other in sickness and in health, and then we hugged everyone and drank champagne.
2014 was the year I lived through a winter in Minnesota and immediately looked back after it was over to realize that I had thrived there. I made new friends and worked for myself and set goals that I met and then exceeded. Then we moved to North Carolina and I struggled with the idea of calling Charlotte "home." I still have mixed feelings about it but Rob is here and I believe in the magic of home is wherever I'm with you.
2014 was one of the happiest years of my life so far, but there were awkward moments of transition, sadness, and even despair. Over the past few months I have finally learned to let go of the things that used to keep me up at night--the ones I can't control. Life is full of a little bit of everything, isn't it? I don't always succeed, but I do my best to make the most of what's in front of me. And I get better at it every day.
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Rob and I are back in Charlotte for a few days of work before we head to Richmond on New Year's Eve to spend the holiday with my brother and our friends Tina and Michael. I've been looking forward to this party since we missed it last year in Minneapolis. Being within driving distance of so many people we love was one of the main things that made this move to Charlotte so exciting, and I have every intention of taking full advantage of that this year.
Wishing you a wonderful final Monday of 2014. Happy New Year, friends! It's almost here.