2021: The Beauty in Between

 A year of change, of ashes and beauty, and God making a way through it all. Thank goodness tomorrow is always a new day, full of His new mercies. Shall we take a backward look at 2021?

Ah yes, covid was definitely still around. Thankfully, the restaurant I work at opened along with the new year, our 2nd re-opening from forced closures due to covid. A much smoother transition this time around.

[Not long after that, my niece got too big for me to pick up anymore...how do kids grow so fast?]

February is usually a boring month, but not this year! My family's "covid adventure" all started with my mom; it then spread to me and then my dad. Thankfully, it wasn't horrible for any of us, and yes, I was even still doing my department schedules from home. During that time quarantined away, I participated in a writing intensive/conference for the first time, and most special of all, my newest nephew was born. We were excited to meet him when we were healthy again.

In March I branched out - but not too far, location-wise - and rented a small Airbnb for a 5-day writing retreat. The results? 10,500 words! That was also the first week that I officially went gluten free, and it made a definite difference. 

The view out the window at my Airbnb

Getting some writing done!

May was memorable in both good and bad ways. I enjoyed a morning with my sister and the kiddos at Fort Henry Mansion and park area, and my brother and I spent a day exploring Centralia. However, despite those two days of fun, I was holding too much inside and everything caught up to me. To keep it as simple as possible, I experienced two [what were most likely] panic/anxiety attacks and thus began my journey of adrenal fatigue, which wasn't diagnosed by a doctor but is the only thing that fit symptoms and circumstances. After five days off of work, I slowly began to recover but still occasionally have slight twinges of what I attribute to that crazy mind and body experience. The care of family, friends, coworkers, and most importantly God, helped me through that bizarre time. 

Exploring the abandoned streets of Centralia

Our family camping trip in June reminded me why I hate camping. Summer kept marching steadily along as I enjoyed kayaking with my brother and cousin. 

As summer turned into fall, so more changes arrived both at work and at home. Quite literally at home, because...I BOUGHT A HOUSE! My life began to swirl around lists and house supplies and large checks and electricians and flooring and paint and power tools as I spent time and money doing some fixing up with the help of my brother-in-law and my parents. Though not all projects have yet been completed, I moved in Thanksgiving Day. 

Entering my new house after closing!

Paint, old floors underneath, new baseboards...and a lot of work!

To add to the already multitude of changes, my family had to say goodbye to Dasher, our beloved cat for the past 17.5 years. I turned 25 - WHAT?! - and enjoyed our annual October cabin vacation with family. As the year continued to draw to a close, I enjoyed having my first visitors to my own house and exploring a cave with my brother. 

Loyalsock Creek

Dasher <3

From inside the cave

What a whirlwind. This year, two people I care about were diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatments - thank the Lord, both are currently doing well. This year, covid took both one of our employees and my uncle. This year, three of my friends had babies.

In 2021, God pushed me to work harder toward my goals, and I did some things I'd been holding back on (though I've still much more to do, but hey...baby steps). 

In 2021, God helped me work through and let go of some cynicism from the past (and the song "Old Church Basement" came out at the perfect time and touched me in a special way). 

In 2021, God kept teaching me about joy, and to not shoulder what isn't mine, and to do one thing at a time (and that excellence is not the same thing as perfection).  

And in case you were wondering - as if all of that wasn't enough to fill a year - I somehow managed to read more books than I did in 2019 or 2020, with a grand total of about 151. That's 44,580 pages and approximately 2.9 books per week. Whew! 

I'm sure 2021 was a bit of an in-between year for everyone - honestly, I would go so far as to say that my 2021 was rougher than 2020! But always, God is good and within and around every. single. moment, just as He will be in 2022.