Thank you, 2018, You Were Very Good to Me
It's a good thing to take a moment at the end of the year to look back with gratitude. No matter what's going on in the world, I've always found that there are things we should recognize and celebrate. Here are a few of the highlights of my 2018.
My Year in Review:
January: I fell in love with the ukulele.
February: My eldest daughter got her drivers permit and we attended her first dance competition. I knit a sweater for myself and attended the MOMS Demand Advocacy Day at our state capital.
March: We had a lot of fun on the farm during lambing season, attended two more dance competitions, and I had my first in-clinic sleep study.
April: We got to go see Hamilton!!!!
May: I earned my 26.2 at the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Highlight of the year, for sure!) Sean and I were recognized by middle school for being awesome parents. The girls and I performed in the spring dance recital. My dream ukulele was purchased.
June: Sean's aunts visited. We sent our youngest daughter to the Grand Tetons with a
school science trip. Our eldest went to camp with good friends. I found myself in progressive lenses for the first time, and got blue-light filter lenses. My dad did his first 100 mile gravel grinder in a new event held in my home town.
July: Second sleep test and MSLT, resulting in a working diagnosis of narcolepsy. The girls and I went to SPEC - my fifth year as a facilitator, Gillian's first year as a camper, and Tanith's first year as a SPEC brat.
August: The girls and I went to see Hairspray, and take a day trip to the Nelson. I was the first to knit in a delightful new bookstore in town. I had my annual silent retreat to my parents' farm. I cut back to 3/4 time at work to accommodate my chronic conditions.
September: We celebrated Mom and Dad's 50th Anniversary (which was actually in August). A friend and I produced our second "Sunday Morning at Fairview." I start therapy and begin doing some really hard work.
October: I had a nasty spider bite in a sensitive area. I've never laughed so much in my entire life.
November: I had surgery to correct the bunion on my left foot. Very difficult to go through, but the right decision nonetheless.
December: All of the holidays! It's my favorite time of year, and the whole month was just good.
Books:
In 2018 I read a total of 74 books - 56 fiction and 18 nonfiction. I started, but did not finish an additional 11 books, having finally figured out that life is too short to push myself to finish books I don't want to finish.
My top picks:
Nonfiction:
Inspired, Rachel Held Evans
Becoming, Michelle Obama
Sleepyhead, Henry Nicholls
Fiction:
The Sisters of the Winter Wood, Rene Rossen
Circe, Madeleine Miller
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Kelly Barnhill
Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik
Girl at War, Sara Novic
The Essex Serpent, Sarah Perry
The Sunlight Pilgrims, Jenni Fagen
Monsters of Templeton, Lauren Groff
The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O, Neal Stephenson and Nicole Gallant
The Silence of the Girls, Pat Parker
Knitting:
I completed 9 projects this year. That includes 2 adult sweaters, 3 pair of socks, 2 hats, 1 scarf, and a baby sweater. That doesn't sound like a whole lot (although it's better than 2017), but given how much my life has changed over the last couple of years I'm grateful to be able to do that much! Also, those numbers don't tell the full story. I made considerable progress this year on both my Queen Susan shawl and Gillian's scrapbook blanket, both of which are massive undertakings that take years to complete, even were I not to be working. So all in all, it was a better year for knitting, and I'm happy to be reclaiming that part of myself!
Best of all:
(Photo by Stacie Pottinger of Rogue Studios!)
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