Adios 2016

Shortly after the New Year I made some joke to Brooks about being GLAD 2016 was over.

It was a hard year afterall. 

The first 5 months being unbelievably uncomfortable with the twin pregnancy, their births, then of course caring for TWO newborns.....oh and 8 other kids.

The move to St. Louis right after..... and then another move 4 weeks later.

A week later finding out my dad had a terminal condition and the next month his death.

When I told Brooks that, he said, he (we) had a great year:

TWO healthy babies joined our family in a birth that was exactly how we wanted.

He started a specialty in Pathology he was SUPER excited to start.

We moved closer to a temple.

Everyone in our little family has been protected and enjoyed quite a bit of health.

Huh.

He was right.

I never considered myself a pessimist, but I think it's an easy place for my mind to go recently.

But Brooks' comment has really made me think this past month. Yes, 2016 wore me out. Yes, it was HARD. Yes, I felt in WAY over my head most of it and I still do! In fact, I have things less together than ever before.

But BECAUSE I didn't, I also learned more and I also felt more Heavenly help.

I realized more than ever that my patience stinks and that I can't really keep my family safe and happy and put together as I should.....

but I CAN when I rely on help from Heavenly Father.

My reliance on Him is more crucial and necessary to me now.

I wouldn't have learned that nor been as humbled as I needed to be without 2016.

2016 will be a year to remember for me and I'm SO grateful for it...... all of it.

Something I wrote on Facebook at the first of the year:

I am feeling quite reflective at the start of 2017 thinking of goals I would like for this year. A lot has to do with the “Reflections of the summer of 2016” my mother sent to me for Christmas of her memories before/during my Dad’s passing. I understand more than ever that peace and comfort is ONLY attained through and in Jesus Christ. That the greatest strength comes through humility and submissiveness. The things that matter in life aren’t really things…. they are relationships, loved ones and my connection with my Heavenly Father. I have actually never felt more peace during a ‘storm’, than during my last visit with my Dad. I have never FELT or seen more peace from another individual either. He repeated probably 20 times during my visit that “Jesus Christ is the key to happiness” and to stay close to Him. He is the KEY. My year of 2017 I want to feel even MORE peace, which means strengthening my relationship with Him. It means more time in the scriptures, more time in his Holy Home….the temple and more time loving my fellow men. And because my focus will be more on those things, I will feel peace during whatever this year or each day throws at me…..and my capacity for love and kindness will increase. THIS is my goal..... PEACE....... I know where to find it too.