it's been a year...

...and what a year it's been! Here are just a few highlights:

In May, I had surgery to remove half of my thyroid. The other half is functioning just fine without the need for medication - small miracles! My parents came out while I was recuperating and we did as much stuff as we could, with me needing a lot of sleep and rest time.

In July, I hosted VBS at my church in Wilmington. Over 100 kids, a silly side kick and fun experiments. It's one of my favorite weeks every year!

At the end of July, my mom's side of the family met in northern Michigan for our bi-annual family reunion. Seeing family I hadn't seen in at least 12 years? Definitely a highlight. Oh, and a few solid days on the lake was time well spent.

I earned a delicious beer in October running a Mudderella race with a couple friends for charity. It was cold, windy, and fun! I also took a day off to go up to the White Mountains of NH for some solo hiking. This was one of the hardest, and yet most rewarding hikes I've ever done. There's nothing like getting outside to rejuvenate one's spirits!

Thanksgiving morning I ran the annual Feaster Five race with a few of my favorites. Lots of time spent with good friends and remembering to be grateful for all my blessings. It was a good day!

And now Christmas is here, followed quickly by a new year. A year full of new possibilities, another marathon (yep, that's right!), and many more memories made with really great people.

Much love and Merry Christmas to you and yours.