2015 + 2016

2015 is ending so here is my year in review and what I have to look forward to and work on in 2016.....

Last year 2 goals I was able to achieve were:

-Travel somewhere new

-Work on building up food storage 

This year, I will continue with these goals by traveling somewhere new and continuing to build up my food storage. 

Last year 2 goals I was not able to achieve were:

-Catch up on scrapbooking

-Read 24 of the “classics”

I worked on scrapbooking, but did not catch up. This year I will make more of an effort to catch up on my scrapbooking by scheduling out time each month to work on it. 

I did not read any of the “classics”, but decided that was a goal I was no longer interested in completing.

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​I had a lot of high points in 2015 and events I will always remember. First off, was getting my sweet pup, Hendo. He has been such a lifesaving blessing for me. 

Mike and I were able to go camping at the Grand Canyon, which was amazing! It was absolutely beautiful and somewhere I would love to go back to. 

We were also able to go to Cedar City with his family again this year. I love going to the Shakespeare festival each year. We also went to Sedona to do some hiking for my birthday in September. My big new destination in 2015 was going to San Diego. We were able to go to the zoo, the beach, Balboa Park, and the temple.

​In 2015 I was able to spend time with my family as they visited me and as I was able to visit them. With every trip to Utah, I was able to do some hiking which allowed me to spend a considerable amount of time in the mountains. Additionally, I was able to do some hiking in Arizona.

In 2015 I was able to make some new friends and started feeling like Arizona was my home. I graduated in December and was able to accomplish my goal of graduating with a 4.0.

The hardest part of 2015 was the whole summer. Summer in Arizona was hard for me. I desperately missed going outside and we were so busy during the weekends to be able to get away too much. I felt lost and depressed, but did my best to make Arizona feel like home. It was also hard for me to hit 1 year (and then a year and a half) of trying to get pregnant without any success. 

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​My hopes and goals for 2016 are:

-Go to the temple 24 times

-Run a half marathon 

-Run at least 200 miles

-Travel somewhere new

-Get a job that will use my master’s degree

-Buy a house

-Complete 2016 reading challenge (approx. 52 books)

-Start the process to be foster parents 

Last year I focused on: “let go & let God”. The quote I lived by was, “One of the happiest moments in life is when you find the courage to let go of what you can’t change”. This was so hard for me, but I truly feel as if I have come a long way. I was so devastated I wasn’t a mom and that things weren’t happening the way I wanted them to. In 2015, I let go of the anxiety, worry, and sadness coming from the things I have no control over. I put my faith in Heavenly Father, knowing he has a plan for me. None of those wants and wishes have happened yet, but I believe in my Heavenly Father and have truly learned to accept what I cannot change.  

​This year, while I continue to practice letting go of what I cannot change, I want to focus on JOY. I want to look for the joyful moments all around me. “God didn’t create [me] to be sad, he created [me] to have JOY” –Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Rather than waiting around for all of the things that I believe will make me happy, I will make the most of the moments I have and find the happiness in them. I will take more time to do what makes me happy. I will find pleasure in the journey and be happy with who I am and where I am in my life right now. By extracting happiness from my every day life, I know I will be able to make 2016 an unforgettable year. 

Because what's better than being full of JOY!? 

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