- Successfully made it to Will's 5th birthday which we celebrated in the backyard nary a bounce house in sight.
- Wept and mourned the loss of Tim's father, my father-in-law, while becoming acutely aware of my own parents' mortality, something I hadn't allowed myself to consider before.
- Began my first non-consultant, full time role at Microsoft & thought it wouldn't be that different than before. Was wrong.
- Worked hard, learned constantly, grew professionally, made mistakes, made change, made strides, made more mistakes, and finally felt like I have made it.
- Ran another half marathon, better time, better run, but overall didn't feel the joy that running brought me in 2015.
- Struggled with the loss of the election, the loss of family, the loss of faith, the loss of hope, the loss of the will to fight.
- Watched the sun come up on many quiet mornings sparking the memory of my faith, my hope, and my will to fight for equality, justice, and love.
- Celebrated my 40th birthday with Girls Weekends to Austin and Herron Island plus a Vegas weekend with Tim, and a family weekend to the Washington coast.
- Celebrated my 40th birthday with a (preeeetty hazy) Greenwood pub crawl.
- Realized that a birthday fun WEEK is a much more manageable celebration for someone in their '40s.
- Deeply embraced my feminism and began a path of learning about inclusion, unconscious bias, microaggressions, and equality.
- Started making plans for our home remodel and truly became a fully formed adult.
- Bought my dream car.
- Fell on some black days.
- Willed my kid strength and courage as he struggled - and continues to struggle - through his first few months of Kindergarten.
- Swelled with pride as my kid demonstrated empathy and emotional intelligence by offering money to the less fortunate, choosing to help the homeless, and understanding that classroom bullies are sad.
- Seethed with frustration and irritation at that same kid taking his own good fortune for granted, suggesting he "could just buy a new winter coat" after losing his at school, or asking for food he doesn't eat.
- Reveled in the conversations I had with my kid, the things he shared with me, and the path our relationship is taking as he changed from preschooler to gradeschooler.
- Marked the year of the extended Family Vacation visiting my family in Florida in February, Tim's family in Folly Beach in July, and then back to Florida for a Disney trip with my family in November.& decided that was too many extended Family Vacations for one year.
- Felt the hole in my long-dusty gypsy soul rip a little wider as yet another year passed without any international travel.
- Struggled with balance as usual, but this year it was balance between career and parenthood and battling feelings that I'm really not doing either one very well.
- Wept and mourned the loss of two of the composers of the soundtrack of my life, Prince & Bowie, not because I knew them, but because "they helped me know myself".
- Deeply appreciated and celebrated the women in my life & the way they inspire me, challenge me, and make me a better person each & every day. (You know who you are.)
- Often felt busy and overwhelmed leading me to seek more quiet and solitude and space than usual.
- Even on my darkest days, remembered that I am the luckiest person in the world & was grateful for all that I have, all that I am, and all that's to come.
Non, je ne regrette rien. Except for running out of room before I could include "Drank a lot of great wine" on this list. xx