2015 in review

To sum up 2015 in a word – Thankful

I closed out 2014 ready to begin my count down to the filing. I knew I would be filing the paperwork for my divorce finalization on February 5 and quite honestly that date could not come soon enough for me.

January was FAHREEZING cold! I am so thankful that my parents have a wood stove! Work was insane! My coworker/friend said goodbye to her husband after his long struggle with his health. While she was out I was handling a workload that I thought might just put me under! Somehow I managed it, that’s only by God’s grace and His help!

February 5 I was at the lawyer’s office bright and early to sign the paperwork. We filed that day. I would have to wait several more weeks before the nice judge signed the papers and let me change my last name back! That afternoon I toasted with Patrice and then went to a women’s event at church. That weekend I went to a dream conference on how to better understand and interpret dreams.

March was my 4^th half marathon. I ran it and the following week I had my final CIC test. The all essay 2 hour exam was tough but I passed and achieved my designation. I attended a training class to get my foot in the door working with individuals who have been trafficked. It would take several more weeks before further doors were opened. Patrice had baby W and moved to Winston Salem and then a few months later moved to Durham where they are now settled, hopefully for a while.

April 1 my divorce finalized. THANKFUL. I could share many stories and explain further but it’s in the past and I’m free and I don’t have to reflect further over my ex-husband. I am learning as I move forward how to understand myself better and continue to be mindful of my patterns and the ways I handle situations.

I had my first date after divorce on April 23. He was so very nice, funny, and easy to talk to. The date lasted several hours and I thoroughly enjoyed his company! My yearlong sweets fast ended and I fell face first into ice cream, candy and cookies! Friday, the day after my date, I got a letter from my lawyer explaining that because my ex-husband was too impatient to wait for the mailed paperwork and he requested that my lawyer email the documents I ended up owing the lawyer money instead of being paid in full. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been THAT angry! That weekend I had to figure out how to pack for a week away in the middle of nowhere. I’m a planner, I like to know how things are going to go. I like to know what to expect and it suddenly hit me that during this week I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Talk about freaking out! I reverted to being 10, and melting down… It was bad! So bad in fact that my parents drove me to the church where the bus was leaving from to make sure I actually left for Heart Quest.

For years I had been struggling with my voice and if I was under stress or sick my voice would be gone. Most of 2015 I was losing my voice several times during a week. The Sunday that I left I had no voice. It did come back while I was on the bus but that week I lost my voice multiple times.

I will forever be thankful for what my Heart Quest allowed me become. The year of separation and even before that during my marriage God had been working on me. Growing me, shaping me and allowing me to break free from old patterns and grow more into who He has planned all along. Heart Quest, as I’ve said before, was a completion of some things and a start to others. That final morning we were there 2 of my HQ sisters prayed for me including praying for my voice. From that morning on I have not lost my voice. I’m humbled by God’s grace because my voice had been destroyed because of my abuse. I totally didn’t deserve that healing because of what I had been doing for the past 15 years but because God is God not only have I been walking in freedom from bulimia for over a year and a half now but He healed my voice as well.

May I was supposed to run another half but I was dealing with injury from the March race so I took it easy from running in order to heal. I could run short distance but not the miles required for a half. My nephew turned 2 and we had a party for him. The weather was warming and spring was quickly moving towards summer.

June was full! I was supposed to go to a concert with the guy who I had met in April but he wasn’t able to go and then he fell off the face of the earth. I was able to accept that and let it go. I took my Mom to the Brad Paisley concert instead and we had so much fun together! I attended the National Society Children of the American Revolution Southeastern Regional (#nscarseregional2015) and I wore pretty dresses and caught up with old friends. Uncle Roger and Aunt Linda came to town and I went shopping and had fun with Mom and Aunt Linda.

In July my brother and SIL welcomed another little boy bringing my nephew count to 6, although I have a few more that I consider nephews so I think I’m at like 9 right now. I would love to add a girl to the mix, but I’m thankful for the boys and I think they are all wonderful!

I never made it to the lake house because life was crazy, it was really hot and the house has to be opened and the AC running to be comfortable and basically life just got in the way. I visited my friend Margs in SC and enjoyed a day at the pool. I got to have dinner with my other Margaret that night and enjoy catching up with her.

August arrived and with it a new job. I left the company I had been with for almost 6 years for a new opportunity and it was such a God thing the way everything worked out! I went to the Dirty Dancing Festival at Lake Lure and had so much fun I already booked a house to go back next year. My birthday was amazing and I had a wonderful day in Boone followed by a fun dinner at home. I ended the month and the first weekend of September I got to drive to NoVa to visit Jess.

September ended up being insane! The second weekend was the only weekend I was home. The 3^rd weekend I had the girls beach reunion, and it was amazing! The last weekend I went to FL with Patrice and we had an amazing time in Tampa!

October arrived and with it the women’s conference at church and my friend Ally’s (Patrice’s sister) wedding at Isle of Palms. Her wedding was the weekend after the historic SC flooding and driving through Columbia I could see the devastation and it was heartbreaking!

I took my conceal carry class and passed and then October slipped away and November came. November was filled with friends and family. I enjoyed 3 Thanksgivings, one at work, one on the Sunday before with my brother and SIL aunts and uncles and then on the actual day of Thanksgiving and yes I did a LOT of running during this time!

December arrived and has been a whirlwind of a month. Work got crazy and I was writing report after report and now it seems to have slowed down once again.

So much has happened and so many memories have been captured and I am overwhelmingly thankful for all the blessing in my life!