farewell 2013

LIFESTYLE, MINDFULNESS

farewell-2013In 2013, I slept in a tepee; climbed trees; listened to a million jokes rehearsed from joke books; dangled my feet from the Grand Canyon; learned how to persevere with joy; began a photo collaboration project; cried from laughing too hard; cried from hurting too much; watched my kids wade in the Pacific Ocean; picked 48 pounds of strawberries; read Oliver and Rilke and L’Engle and Bly; packed and left a home; explored ancient ruins; prayed desperate prayers; watched Blythe dance outdoors in below freezing temperatures; ate loads of sweet potatoes and cauliflower rice; painted more walls white; learned the word autodidact; hiked over a mile in the Virgin River; watched Mark carry all four kids simultaneously in that same river; finished a whole-30; snuggled with my kids in a tree hammock; shared the Christmas holidays with our combined 48 family members; shared the Christmas holidays with strep throat and the flu; tried kombucha; jumped waves along the Texas coast; lived with 9 other people for most of the year; was splashed by the waves on Pfeiffer Beach; camped under a super-moon; took thousands of pictures; wrote thousands more in words; watched the sun rise over 300 times; taught Olive to write her name; explored caves; celebrated 12 years of marriage; discovered a love for honey whiskey; studied Joan of Arc, the Vikings, and Charlemagne; cooked several meals over campfires; downsized our life and learned having less really is more; stood inside a Redwood trunk with 16 other people; read Burke’s first illustrated comic book; picked dinner from our garden; tutored 100+ college students in writing/grammar; picnicked with friends on Adirondack chairs in the Big Sur River; walked through canyon slots in New Mexico; hugged our six family members visiting from Morocco; listened to people sing on the streets of Santa Cruz; walked in the Frio River; witnessed friends be healed of sickness; tasted papayas and persimmons for the first time; studied patterns of light and shadow; received money and tons of encouragement and love from friends and family; chased my kids down huge hills; learned from Liam how to shoot a bow and arrow; climbed majestic red rock in Utah; picked bouquets of wildflowers; felt small and humbled; felt like my heart might explode in joy; learned to give thanks regardless.

Thank you, 2013, for your rich lessons and adventures. Farewell.

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  1. I’m new here. I’m in awe of how full your 2013 was. So many of these things are going on my bucket list. We’re headed to Big Sur in a few weeks and hopefully Utah and the red rock soon. Thank you for blogging, I know I’ll be inspired! Just wish I had found you sooner!

    1. Author

      Welcome, Laura! It was an amazing and crazy year, a smudge in our lifespan I’ll never forget for so many reasons. Big Sur is one of my favorite places in the world–have so much fun! And Utah was one of the more surprising beauties I discovered this summer–there aren’t enough adjectives. You must go, especially with kids. I’m so glad to meet you!

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