That Ship Sailed Without Us

All that build-up over moving to Oregon
busted mid-air
when the company there decided to rescind their offer
on account of the fact that they didn't want to pay enough
to make it worth the move.

They offered, Mr W counteroffered
and instead of meeting in the middle,
they just said, "No." and shut the door.

At first,
I was surprisingly sad.
Not just about the job,
but about the move, the adventure, the opportunity to explore,
the abruptness of it all
left me feeling like I'd been stood up on a really promising date.

Mr W was sad, let down, disappointed.
Because you know, it's been 6 months of unemployment.
But seriously, if there were any way he could've taken the offer,
he'd have jumped at it.
It just wasn't responsible for us to take it.
The cost of living is higher in Oregon than here;
we did our homework.
So, in the morning light
it was the best decision for our family.

Another Oregon ship will come by.
Until then,
we'll sit here at the foot of the Rockies--
where it's zero degrees, snowy and completely beautiful.

Accounting for 2016

It's a brrr cold but sunny morning here in Colorado Springs.

I love the bright clear blue skies here at the foot of the Front Range...

as I've said before, I am co-dependent on these Rocky Mountains.

Pikes Peak is my touchstone. 

I look west every time I'm in the car, 

or in the house,

my eyes naturally gravitate towards that beautiful mountain range.

I can list a hundred reasons why I'm so enamored of those ridges and peaks,

but that's for another day.

This being the fourth of January 2017,

I'm reflecting on what I accomplished in 2016.

What do I have to show for the time I was given--

the same amount of time everyone else on the planet 

that started 2016 and ended it still breathing, 

was given.

I completed two semesters of school.

One 80-hour internship at Avier, a home decor store.

I worked staging and redesigning homes--

some for friends,

some for builders,

some for investors,

some for realtors.

I learned more about drawing and watercolors.

I made seasonal floral arrangements for friends and friends of friends.

I went visiting teaching.

I decorated for wedding receptions.

I did family history and took names to the temple.

I kept a journal.

I read my scriptures.

I spent time in Idaho caring for a daughter with specific health issues.

For three months, our family took in a young woman who has autism,

and helped her get into college and the financial aid she needed to go.

I'm happy to report that she is up at BYU-I today and settling into her apartment.

I went to Saudi Arabia for the birth of a sacred grand-daughter

and then onto Italy with a friend!!!  Holy Moly--Best TRIP EVER!

We ended the year in Boise, Idaho for the blessing of that little grand-daughter

this past Sunday, January 1st.

My husband has been unemployed since June,

and we're still a good team.

In contemplating 2017

I don't know what's ahead,

but I've been given time to continue to grow, develop and focus my energy

on the good things in life,

just like the rest of Heavenly Father's children.

I hope I do some good with it.

Instead of Resolutions,

I'm making note of things I want to LEARN more about in 2017.

• I want to learn how to take better care of my aging body.
• I want to learn how to be more efficient with my time--
• I deleted facebook off my phone this morning and that feels like a step in the right direction. It's not that I don't want to know what's going on in my friends and family's lives-- but 90% of the facebook posts I see have nothing to do with my f & f directly. So I can catch-up on a less regular basis from my desktop.

• I want to LEARN more about painting and writing and travelling and floral design.
• I want to learn more about living minimally--cutting out random "stuff" for quality "stuff".
• Organizational tools that really work.
• Planting a garden.
• Serving somewhere in my community that I can get passionate about.

2016 wasn't our best year.

But it wasn't the worst either.

I'm still here.

My husband is still here.

All of my children and their children are still here.

So far, Life has met my expectation.

Even in 2016.

So 2017 is looking really hopeful.

I have alot to learn.

What about you?

What do you want to learn in 2017?