To you, 2015

I used to blog, and then, you know, things like life happen and blogging doesn't seem so important. It is my favorite way to capture what is going on in our lives, so I figured I would write a quick 2015 recap to ring in the New Year.

This year saw Lily turn 4, Jackson turn 2, and Tom and I celebrated the big 3-0. Jackson started the party train with a birthday party during a snow storm in February. He celebrated with a Planes themed brunch and, despite the snow, most of our family made it to celebrate.

Tom and I celebrated our birthdays with a joint gathering of friends at Fogo de Chao. It was delicious and we had a wonderful time with friends. Lily turned 4 in June and we celebrated at home with friends and family. Her birthday was Peter Pan/Tinkerbell themed and mostly involved jumping in her new bounce house.

Professionally, work was insanely busy. I was the nominated for BCPS Teacher of the Year as the teacher from my school. That was a huge honor and felt incredibly validating as our administration makes the decision about who to nominate. In the late spring a group of us decided that we needed to take on more work and we pitched an enrichment period. It was accepted and this year we are piloting it! It is amazing and overwhelming and exciting. I coached what will be my last season as a volleyball coach (at least for the foreseeable future). It was a tough season, but I coached the best group of girls that I could have asked for. I am working on my ESOL certification. I am taking department chair courses. The job is busy, but it's wonderful.

Personally, I am thankful that 2015 was a year of happiness and health for me and my family. We had a smooth transition to pre-school for Lily (fingers crossed for kindergarten for next year) and Jackson loved starting 2-year old school. My brother and his soon-to-be-wife settled into their new house and are working to make it a beautiful first home. We traveled to Austin, TX for a work trip (though, when you get to travel on work trips with your husband, it doubles as a getaway). We enjoyed another summer at our beloved shore house. My parents and grandfather are healthy. My friends welcomed new babies, some after long roads and losses. God was good to us.

If there was one sad spot in an otherwise lovely year, it was the loss of Marge Kenney. I still feel like I could pick up the phone and make a lunch date with her, but I know her love and lessons will always live on in her girls. Her loss was cutting; Mrs. Kenney was a light in the world that went out too soon.

So here's to 2016. To love. To happiness. To health. To a healed world. To faith restored. To peace.