12/31/2013: Happy New Year

So another year is over and I’m sitting here watching my new kitten destroy pipe cleaners and reflecting on another year gone by. When a year ends, I don’t really like making a list of resolutions I won’t follow or hopes for the next year, because I have no idea what’s in store. I like to reflect on the year gone by and thank God for the lessons learned, the memories made, the challenges that made me stronger, and the blessings that made me happier.
This past year seems utterly unreal, a complete roller coaster.
My grandmother passed away last Christmas after a few really hard years in assisted living which made the beginning of 2013 quite difficult on us all. But January 2013 wasn’t empty of blessings. Shortly after the new year, I was able to accomplish a life goal of receiving my Wilderness First Responder certification, which I know would have made my grandmother extremely proud. Unfortunately, that blessing was followed by another heartache in my family when we had to put our dog Bobby down. But God doesn’t give us hardships for nothing. The result was my family coming together and spending more time together and relearning how to truly enjoy each other’s company.
After graduating university (another blessing of 2013!) I went on to lead back-to-back high school trail crews for SCA in Alaska and California—which has been my goal since I was a high school remember and I got to end my summer as a bridesmaid in my most wonderful cousin’s wedding in Maine. Needless to say, after such a hard winter with much heartbreak and let downs, I had a summer to help make up for it all.
 But the biggest blessing of all of 2013 is achieving my life long dream of joining the Peace Corps. I still can’t believe I am writing this post from my little house in Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer. In September, I cleaned up my room, packed up my bags, had a few tearful goodbyes and jumped ship to Mozambique.
Needless to say, after the year of 2013, I don’t see the point of sitting here hoping for a better 2014 or a different 2014. 2013 was great and obviously 2014 is going to be different—I’m in a different country with a new job, new friends, and a new house.
All I think I can and should do is be grateful for such a packed and exciting 2013—the good and the bad are what make a year, the blessings and the lessons are what shape you throughout your year.
I hope you all have a chance to be thankful for the year past and here’s to another year to come!
Happy New Year from Mozambique my friends.