2014

I can hardly believe that 2014 is coming to an end.... Last year, I held strawberry lemonade in a Hello Kitty glass and decided that it would be a year for me to "do me". It sounds silly and selfish, but I felt like I needed to take a moment for the small things that make me happy. I give, give, give and work, work, work to the point that I find myself in last place--a place I happily assign myself to--but just a few things focusing on me would make us all a lot happier.

I'm not sure that I was doing a great job of this until it all culminated in October. After working so hard for so long, I finally finished my dissertation and graduated as a doctor. Without the added stress of being in school with two small children, I took up a few hobbies. I started running three times a week and made a lot of progress. I've run two 5ks and am signed up for a half marathon in March. I started drawing at night when the kids were in bed and wouldn't try to take my pen away. I have made a few comics and have also made prints that I hung in our bedroom. And most recently, I was hired to teach English as an adjunct at a local community college. It seemed like I finally was doing things for myself.

Looking back, 2014 was an awesome year. Eliot turned three in January and Jack turned from a baby into a toddler. They're both completely different kids now, and it keeps getting more and more fun. We enjoyed a vacation to Florida in February.

And though it was too cold for too long back home, we did have some fun in the snow at least.

We spent the spring and early summer in our version of the tv show Yard Crashers by digging up holly trees and trashing old sheds to build our own personal tropical oasis. Since we got a pool heater, we were able to enjoy the pool for six whole months (and I didn't freeze!).

In the fall, Eliot played soccer and started school while Jack's interests and personality continued to grow. I defended my dissertation in the fall, and we came back home ready to plan and host both of our families for Thanksgiving.

I started running at the end of October, and Chris and I did some races. While we were all sick on Christmas, we still got to see both sides of the family. And that was 2014....

In 2015, I'm looking forward to organizing the house during the cold months and starting my new teaching position while continuing with my online teaching. As the weather warms up, I'm sure we'll be outside all the time playing in the pool, going to the beach, and going to Eliot's soccer games in the spring season. My goal for 2015 is to take time (to live, relax, enjoy the days together) and get in the picture more (I literally mean taking more photographs and allowing--or asking--others take pictures with me in them too).