I’ve done a lot of reflection last month into this new year. It’s a yearly ritual thing of mine to look over the past year and sort of evaluate the ups and downs…weigh in on the good and bad, mull over what could have been different, and consider what I want the new year to be.

Part of my process this time was to watch some old family videos. Funny how much we think we remember until we watch those precious moments unfold again on the t.v. screen!

I had all intentions of writing a blog detailing all the events of 2014, recounting how amazing they were and reflecting on how the good outweighed any of the bad. Because it truly did. I’m not going to say last year wasn’t difficult, it definitely had its gut-wrenching moments. But, oh…those times that God showed how amazing He can be! Now, they were something to be in awe of. 

I wish I had the energy and the time to sit here and just totally recap the whole year, but, I just don’t. All I can do is say, trust me, it was quite a ride, 2014!

So, here I was prepared to write about how amazing 2014 was and all I kept thinking tonight after watching videos from as far back as 18 years, is I have had an amazingly wonderful life in spite of the fact that my life has not been easy. I have seen some great loss and have had to live through some grief that many never do, but for every heart breaking trial, I have had many more times of joy and beautiful memories to cover anything that ever brought me tears. I can say with passionate certainty that my good times have far outnumbered any of the bad! 

Every year that passes, I learn more about myself and life in general. I try carry these bits of wisdom into the new year with intention of doing things better. I think we all do. For years now, I’d given up making traditional resolutions, but this year, I’m bringing my new year’s resolute list back into action. Oh, don’t worry, I’m  not gonna list my resolutions…in this blog post anyway!

One thing I learned from 2014 is to s-l-o-w down. I actually found more time to truly enjoy life’s blessings! Having surgery to remove a mass from my neck helped teach me this pretty quickly. Of course, Sjogren’s syndrome fatigue demands I live differently nowadays anyway. So, whether, I’m feeling great or struggling I do my best to not get into overload mode.

I had so many pictures from last year that I was tempted to upload onto this blog post but I’m short on time. So, I’m just putting this one in…

I’m so often never in many of our family photos even over the holidays because I’m the one behind the camera. So, I cherish the ones that I get to be in. My son, Zane, took this one of me and my youngest. I love this picture–  the sweet expression on my baby’s face and his little arm around my neck. By the way, my 7 wonderful children are one of the reasons why I’m having an amazing life!