My word for 2021 was Centered. Honestly, I feel it perfectly encapsulated the year – but not at all in the ways I thought when I wrote my start-of-the-year post.
I thought we’d stay home more, avoid races, completing our backyard renovation and taking cooking classes.
Instead, we went to 13 states, ran 9 races, took NO classes and stalled out on our backyard renovation when family members fell ill.
Yet 2021 was very centered.
Centered on family.
- Making four trips to Kansas to see my family, helping when help was needed. My decorating skills have never been put more to the test.
- Learning way more about qualified trusts, Medicaid and nursing homes than we could have imagined when Johnnie went into the hospital and on into permanent care just 20 hours later. We moved him to Plano and sat with him at Medical City Dallas during his final hours.
- Discovering how quickly life can change when Kelly’s mom and dad both got sick and passed away within four short weeks.
Centered on our home life.
- We loved on Oliver and Jasper – and no one got sick this year! (A big win after Oliver’s health scare in 2020.)
- We loved on Glory Be – and she traveled with us to 10 of our state explorations and continued to improve her manners.
- We gave up on our backyard renovation, but learned to be content with things being what they are while dealing with external issues.
- We celebrated 22 years of marriage.
Centered on our faith.
- While we didn’t make it back to church with concerns about COVID and our need to stay healthy while caring for Johnnie, we have never relied on our faith more. God’s grace and mercy were critical to navigating the stress of the year.
I learned a lot this year about letting go of what was out of my center of control and grasping firmly that which I could control. It was a year full of stress, hope, sorrow and determination.
While I don’t want to live through another 2021, I’m glad to have experienced it once. I learned much about myself and my spouse that I don’t think I would have easily learned any other way.