Whew! Another year is gone, and a New Year has come. 2021 seemed to fly by like a bullet train, especially after the snail’s pace with which we met 2020. We all thought it would be a better year. We had high hopes for 2021. Somehow we thought it would rush in like Superman and save the day.
Well, the pandemic stuck around and even brought some nasty variants. It did seem to have some rough patches, but as I looked back through the year I discovered 21 milestones/achievements/new experiences. Some of it is personal, and some of it we did as a team. Here is my 2021 year in review…
- Read the whole Bible using a Bible Plan on YouVersion. At times I fell behind, but I managed to catch up and I DID IT!
- Lost some weight–about eleven pounds this year.
- Finished in the top tier on Duolingo, and completed a 602 day streak (learning French).
- Walked 203 miles (that we counted).
- Spent about 40+ nights in the Airstream: north Texas (Grapevine) at the AS workshop, Bridgeport, Lake Whitney, west Texas (Odessa), south Texas (Donna), and the Jetstream RV Resort at NASA, (south Houston).
- Took three long trips on my motorcycle, and a fourth on the back of Tim’s. Earned my 100,000 mile patch. Rode over 10,000 miles through 23 states this year alone. We have accomplished our domestic motorcycle bucket list. Time to do some fly and rides!
- Served as a CNS officer (editor).
- Painted feature walls and upgraded our shower. Turned our guest room into a playroom for the grandchildren. Sold our bikes and reclaimed our garage.
- Awarded a research fellowship and attended our first residency at Villanova University.
- Bought a Mini Cooper, then traded and upsized to the Countryman.
- Our fifth grand baby Mikayla was born! We also learned we are expecting #6! Spent a lot of precious time with the grandkids last year.
- Tested positive for Covid-19, Omicron variant. Yucky stuff!
- Sat in a DeLorean time machine!
- Fostered and rescued a dog.
- Tim started a new job, and ended his work with TXM.
- Published my first children’s book. We published a second book for sermon notes as well.
- Wrote a few songs.
- Cooked some new meals.
- Watched a Carolina Wren raise her babies.
- Completed our first Escape Room.
- Big SNOW in Conroe that lasted a whole week in February.
I suppose I could add one more…stayed alive. I have made it to the five year mark since my metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, a day many professionals didn’t think we would see. I’ve already blogged about that, but it is certainly a milestone!
Our theme word for 2022 is “simplify.” We have already begun looking at the calendar and making plans for the new year. I am hopeful this year will be better than the last two. However, looking back on all we have experienced in 2021, I can’t complain.
Forget what happened before…I’m making a new thing.
Isaiah 43:18-19
À la prochaine…see you next time!
Leave a comment here and let me know what you have experienced in 2021!