Because 2013 Can't Cease to Exist on My Blog

Well, today I had the urge to write on my blog.  It's been about a year and a half since I last wrote here. But I'm pretty sure nobody will read this, so I think I can follow the urge, and if any of you migrated me from google reader to feedly without realizing it, than congrats.  You'll get to see a post from me!

It's 2014.  A new year.  And if anything deserves a new blog post, I guess it's a new year.  I've actually written about a new year a couple of times on this blog (here and here), so this is not a new topic for the blog of Kate.

Not only is the new year a natural time for reflection, but January is also the one chunk of time where my life slows down a little.  Schools are on break, business is a little slower, days are short, snow is plentiful.  So, I tend to reflect.  

And as 2013 is completely missing from this blog, I feel like I should fill you in on it.  There's so much I could say or should say.  But really, it doesn't feel like it was that eventful.  

I'm 28, about to turn 29, and honestly, 2013 wasn't all that different than 2012.  At least not on paper.  Same job, same place, same life.

But 2013 was also completely life-changing.  I've learned and grown, I've laughed and cried, I've felt desperate and settled, I've been joyful and sorrowful, I've missed home in Missouri and felt more and more like home is in Williams, I've felt like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be and spent hours thinking about applying for a new job and moving.  

So, you know, I guess it really is more of the same.

Here are some 2013 highlights:

-New job title: Housekeeping Manager and Guest Group Communications Coordinator (Job responsbilities: big picture oversight of the HK dept, training HK Supervisor, working with the national HK team, doing all pre-event communication with every guest group at LC, communicating guest needs between departments, and, oh yeah, helping oversee our year-round intern program.  Yeah, it's getting a little crazy, but I do love it.)

-I traveled a LOT this year.  Which makes me very happy.  My job is making me travel more and more (5 trips since September) so that's fun.  In 2013, I went home 3 times, to NY, Michigan, San Diego, Mexico, Boston, Colorado, road-tripped from Atlanta to DC up the eastern seaboard, and took several weekend trips to Vegas, Sedona, Phoenix, Prescott, etc. 

-Still leading Young Life, still can't get over how much I love this tiny little town.  

-Hit the 5-year mark working for Young Life.  Which means 5 more vacation days a year and a whole lot of feeling shocked about how this job that I thought I would do for a couple years has turned into a career.

-I sold my Blazer.  I might have cried about it.  Because even though it didn't have air conditioning and had 160,000 miles on it, it marked the end of an era to get rid of it.  I had traveled a lot of places and cried a lot of tears in that car.  But it has a new life with a 16-year-old boy and I have a GMC Envoy that looks like a car a grown-up should drive.  

-I started thinking about things I should probably get a handle on before I turn 30 (which will happen in  just a little over a year).  Mainly, this means I've been listening to Suze Orman podcasts and putting an actual plan in place for my finances like a big girl.  

-I read a lot of books.  This felt awesome as it's extremely good for my soul but really easy to not do when I'm busy.  Mainly this came from reading the books that we assigned to the interns, but whatever it takes.

Yeah, not that unique of a year when you look at my life.  But a year where I learned to choose gratefulness instead of bitterness, a year where I felt really broken and a year where I learned how being honest about that brokenness makes me stronger- a better friend, mentor, supervisor, etc., a year where I learned how to put those two lessons together- how to let people see that I am not perfect but I am grateful.  A big year, a life-changing year, and yet, not a unique year.

So, here's hoping for more of the same in 2014.    

Song of the Day: Don't Give Up on Me by Solomon Burke

My Summer in Pictures

Per usual, I had an awesome summer.  And I can't put it in words.  But I'll post the pics and let them speak for themselves.

The first group of the summer being welcomed at Lost Canyon.  If this sight ever fails to get me, I'll know it's time to pack it in.

The HK Team was ready for Day 1.  In our staff polos.  Looking good.

This picture was part of the instructional slide show we use to explain the HK rules to the Work Crew and Summer Staff (our volunteer staff).  This is clearly showing what will happen if you take your camp blanket outdoors.

Our twashies (Work Crew housekeepers) handing out the Golden Glove aka the award for the cleanest cabin.

 

4th of July joy at the parade the Capernaum (YL for kids with special needs) campers put on at LC.



Friends at the Willy 4th of July parade.  Willy parades are glorious.

My office got a wall, a door, and air conditioning.  Big time!

I went to the Rockies.  More specifically Crooked Creek.

With these kids.  I love them.

I got a new camera so I can take pictures like this.  What up!

We obviously won the Golden Glove.  I am giving it all the admiration it deserves.

This is Lizeth and I.  I love her and this picture a lot.

Seriously, how cute are they?

Our camp follow-up involved watching a lot of Olympics.  This was my favorite coach-athlete combo.  They represent Belarus Trampolining.

Follow-up also involved lots of this kind of stuff.  High school boy is a species I don't understand.

Seriously, the end of this summer marks 3 years of life in Williams, AZ for me.  And it really does just keep getting better and better.  Who knew Williams would be so awesome?

Song of the Day:  Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show

I'm Awesome at Life (Or Life is Awesome and I'm Arrogant)

Remember how I used to write on my blog all the time?  As in every, single day?  (Reference: January 2009.)

And then remember when I still wrote on my blog pretty often?  Like every other day?  (Reference: July 2009.)

And then remember when I wrote on my blog about once a week?  (Reference: 2010-2011.)

And then remember how I haven't written on my blog since April?  (Reference: now.)

Here's the thing:  I love to write.  It's where I do my best processing.  Especially on my blog.  Because I journal, too, but that ends up just being a huge wallowing mess of self-pity.  The social pressure keeps my blog from being that, so rather than a place I can complain, it's a place where I can take stock of my life.  A place where I can talk about things I love, things that make me laugh, things that bring me joy.

And mid-twenties, I was desparate for that place.  I wanted and needed to put my life out there and to have someone else validate it because I wasn't quite sure where I was headed.  And I needed people to tell me that was alright.

But I don't write on my blog very often anymore.  And I'm pretty sure that's because I've finally gotten to a place in my life where I can say, this is it.  This is who I am.  This is what I want my life to look like: I want to be busy, I want to love, I want to know and be known, I want to care for and about other people, I want to work at a job that is purposeful and fulfilling, I want to spend my life.  This is me.

I'm settled.  And rooted.  And committed to this job and this place and this life.

And it's pretty sweet.  I could keep blogging about that, but honestly, it would bore me and it would bore you, too. 

So, just know this:  I am happy.  And busy.  And joyful.  And life still gets really hard sometimes, but I am content.

And all that fear that I had, that my life would mean nothing and that settled meant settling, it's gone away.  Because life is still a crazy adventure and I have no idea what's coming next.

But I know what I'll be like when it does.  And I know that I'll write about it on my blog.  :)

Song of the Day: I Can't Make You Love Me/Nick of Time by Bon Iver (cover of Bonnie Raitt)