2015: Personally

I think 2015 was the fullest year of my life so far. It was a year of great highs and lows, of monumental events, plus more daily-ness than my life generally has. At times it was absolutely overwhelming, and at other times, I was able to live in the moment like I never have before. It seems like I felt everything this year, making equilibrium difficult to maintain.

A couple months ago it hit me just how much life changed this year, just how full my life was, and so, true to self, I wrote it all down on a list. I was trying to pick through the list to present you with a sampling, but then I decided to just give you the (almost) complete list.

In 2015:

 

My dad died.

I left my church.

I turned 40 with as much grace and as little notice as possible.

I suffered a bad depression.

A dear, dear friend in the church passed on.

My husband Brian became a Christian Science practitioner.

19 Kids and Counting went off the air.

I was disappointed when Duggar family secrets come to light.

 

I found J House vlogs.

We replaced our roof.

 

We had a tree removed and the rest trimmed.

We put a plan into effect to pay off our mortgage in 3½ years.

My (step)daughter Trina had cancer.

My (step)granddaughter Skye had a baby boy, Lestat.

Grandson Bo went to YMCA summer camp.

Bo got his first stitches.

Bo started the Shark Squad (now defunct?).

Bo’s cat had 7 kittens.

(Step)son and daughter-in-law, Ryan & Brandie moved again.

I spent a year in the same city as my husband’s ex-wife. Harmoniously.

I read 100 books.

 

I discovered audiobooks.

I made a very good friend online through my blog. Our email chats became a bright spot.

My marriage weathered a stormy period (or maybe it was just my depression coloring things).

Sleep became difficult; started sleeping alone some nights.

Some healing was realized where it comes to long-standing physical ills.

We got a new software at work; work stress increased.

Brother Brad got a new girlfriend, and they later broke up.

I had a garage (book) sale.

Brian bought me my Morganite ring and a strand of pearls.

 

Bought new furniture for the house: TV and wood stand, easy chair, round end table (for books), padded bench, antique gilded mirror.

 

Had uncomfortable confrontation with a friend from our campus Christian organization. Was implied my religion was not Christian.

Did a lot of church work, volunteered in the Reading Room, organized Christian Science lecture.

 

I got back to reading through the Bible, began reading Christian Science Journal each month.

Terrorists attacked Paris.

 

We had the best peaches we’ve had in years this summer.

Mom started reading.

Our Taco Bell was torn down; we developed an affinity for Taco John’s.

Hosted Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve.

I started journaling.

A childhood friend visited.

Brian switched the garage side for side. Then switched it back. Still don't know why.

Brandie mowed the lawn all summer, then didn't show up the day we had to bag 21 bags of leaves.

Deep budget cuts at the university caused a lot of worry.

2016 campaigns began.

Nephew Nathan confirmed.

Toured the house cousin Jason and Uncle Mark are building in the country.

A friend from my father's Navy days visited just weeks before he passed.

Brandie got her GED.

We had the best Christmas yet with the kids.

 

What does your 2015 list look like? Comment below.