2017 Highlights

2017 we focused on joy. Finding it, keeping it, and spreading it. It was my word for 2017. As I look back on the year, it was a very fitting focus and one that I feel confident I met in almost all areas of my life.

January:

We forced ourselves to lay down excuses and get out of the house in January. Though not easy, we enjoyed DWTS, Cirque Dreams and found most of our joy helping baby Lillian.

February: 

This month brought joy through warmth, sun and sisters with a trip to Florida. We enjoyed another Mardi Gras, and started to get serious about finding joy through running.

March:

Joy filled our March with a trip to Minneapolis for spring break, celebrating Emma turning 9, and enjoying watching the girls play basketball. 

April:

Our highlights in April started with the Live Healthy Iowa 5k, celebrating Grace's 11th birthday, and the annual daddy/daughter campout. Grace played her last season of soccer, Emma survived the Titanic, and Norah enjoyed helping coach running club and ran her first road race with the GOTR 5k!

May:

I headed to St. Louis for a conference, we celebrated Norah's 6th birthday,  and Hazel passed her first trip to school as a therapy dog. We honored Will with a memorial scholarship, both girls received division I ratings at All City Music Contest and my sister and I took on M2M Iowa. We were also really excited that Will's memorial was finally ready to be placed just in time for Memorial day!

June:

We took on our first major furniture refinish project, made the move to our new house and took a 15 day road-trip through the South crossing the Magnolia Silos off my bucket-list. 

July:

We celebrated a fantastic 4th, the girls loved every minute of playing softball,  and we loved supporting family at the fair!

August:

We traveled to DM for the Miller reunion, the girls went back to school with Grace starting middle school, and I started my 15th year teaching. Norah also got the thumbs up for completing another year with a healthy heart!

September:

We celebrated Will's birthday, supported the NFTS gala in his honor, and celebrated Mr. and Mrs. Augustine. We also celebrated my sisters 40th birthday by running the Park to Park half!

October:

Emma learned about the joy of braces, I ran the Chicago Marathon, and celebrated my sisters 30th birthday.

 

November:

It was a bit rough this month, marking 1 year missing our boy, but we found joy running the Marion Turkey Trot, supporting Grace's friend at TCR in Annie, and I started a new adventure writing for CRMB. 

December: 

We celebrated with lots of holiday parties, I ran my last race of year at the Reindeer Run, and we attended our 8th annual Nutcracker ballet. 

Cheers to another fantastic, joyful year. Looking forward to what 2018 has in store!