ONE YEAR IN
First things first, we all need to give ourselves a giant pat on the back. Y’all, we somehow made it through this intense, crazy first year together, and that deserves some recognition. I seriously could not have made it through this year of crying, laughing, and blogging without you, so thank you. Go ahead and give yourself a three second dance party to celebrate 😉. You deserve it.
365 days ago, endless opportunities lay before me. It was exhilarating to think that my life might be completely different by the end of the year. I had some dreams to reach, and some tasks from the Lord to complete, and I was going to put in a butt-ton of effort to make them happen. Well, I am here to tell you that the year of 2018 did not disappoint. This blogging journey has been one of the most thrilling, exciting, and scary experiences of my life. I am not going to say that my blog reached the aspirations that I had expected it to, it has just reached different ones. The Lord has truly shown me that the successes my blog has reached make me a lot happier than the dreams I had pictured (crazy how He always knows what He is doing). I get to hear from close friends and family how I made them laugh, or how they could relate to something I was going through. What more could you want? Blogging helped me to feel a lot less alone in my trials, and oh so loved, by my Heavenly Father, my Savior, and my loved ones.
Yup, the Blogging Journey of 2018 had a lot of twists and turns. Those scenic routes brought me lots of joy, and also taught me a lot of lessons. Here are some of the things I have learned:
· I have some of the greatest supporters in the world! #blessed
· Dreams do come true, just sometimes not in the way we expect.
· The things that are the most worthwhile always take a ton of hard work.
· Basset Hounds make the best models.
· The Lord is always there to help us complete the tasks He sets before us.
· Being brave, and putting ourselves out there, gives us so many great opportunities to grow.
· When you look back at the trials you went through (or type them out for the world to see), you see that the hand of the Lord is always present.
· Def Leppard is an obvious staple in my life.
· Sometimes, you just have to write.
· Coming up with blog topics is hard. Especially when you lead a not-so-adventurous life.
· I can be brave!
· Writing a blog about German Soccer will not make them champions. #stilldevestated
· Following the words of the Prophet is always a good idea. Like always.
· Apparently, my favorite hobby is repeating the same mistakes over, and over, and over again.
· A loud voice like mine can make a difference 😉
· The successes we don’t expect are sometimes the sweetest.
· I actually do like writing.
· I am not a terrible writer, despite what my grades in Writing 150 may have reflected 😉
· I am so loved.
· Life is hard sometimes, but making a self-deprecating blog allows you to at least laugh during the hard times.
· Finishing a task, is a win in and of itself.
· Plans will always change, and that’s ok.
· The Lord’s plan is always the best plan.
· It doesn’t matter what other people think. As long as you know your plans and feelings are aligned with the Lord’s, you are doing a-ok!
· Sometimes, the best blogs are written the day before they are published 😉
· Sometimes, you just have to take the jump.
Although there were times when I cursed the year 2018, I am so grateful for the journey it has gifted. I know that without the blog, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I wouldn’t be as close to my Savior and Heavenly Father, or the loved ones I have surrounding me, and that would just be a shame. So, thank you 2018. However, goodbye! I am excited and terrified to see where 2019 will take me.