Farewell 2014

The end of a year tends to bring thoughts of self-reflection of the past months to most people. No doubt the tv will be filled tonight with compilations of news stories from the past year. Some of that will be pleasant to review however most of it will not.
The world’s media tends to only focus on what is bad in the world these days and unfortunately there has been too much darkness over the past twelve months.

But what about me?
What has my year held?
My year has been a year filled with highs and lows. It has been a time of learning, introspection and constant change.
It has ground me down and then it has showed me how wonderful it is to soar.
However, it certainly isn’t a year that I wish to repeat.

So what sort of things did this past year deliver?

• I spent time at my sewing machine and completed a lap quilt, bar runner, outfits for my grandchildren, soft toys, table runners, bibs and tops for myself. My sewing machine has this year provided an outlet for me.
• I made a bedspread for the Teen that could fit a Queen sized bed. To say that I was proud of this achievement would be an understatement. Of course to buy a quilt for her bed would have cost far less than it did to make it myself but you can’t put a price on satisfaction.
• The tween began high school. Another chapter in her life (and in ours).
• The tween became a teen.
• I became a ‘Dance Mom’ not once, but twice over the past year. Our first time was in March when we met with Christi and Chloe and then in August when we met the rest of mothers, girls and Abby Lee.
• I found that I needed to resign my job for mental health reasons and have been home now for 6 months. I still haven’t completed all the tasks that I said that I would do once I gave up work.
• My First Born graduated university and is now a high school teacher. I am proud of her doing this whilst raising a family. She has now begun her Masters.
• I decluttered my craft/computer room and it has stayed relatively uncluttered since then – although I have spread out my sewing things into the spare room. 😉
• We went on two road trips this past year. The first was through New South Wales and Sydney and the second into south-west Queensland. Spending time on the road with my family is one of my greatest joys.
• I flew to Melbourne when my son attempted to take his own life. It is difficult to describe the pain and anguish of this time. However my son continues to fight his depression and anxiety and we look forward to better times.
• I put some of my sewing and photography in the local Show this year. Although I didn’t win anything with my photography, I did quite well with my sewing.
• I took almost no photos during February and even less in March. Sometimes, I go through stages where I walk away from my camera.
• It has now been another year since the Garden Gnome worked in a full-time capacity. We were blessed that he found 3 weeks temporary work in the latter part of the year but that didn’t eventuate into anything further.
• I have renewed my studies and I’m going full-steam ahead. My plan is to complete the course before the end of 2015.
• The Son and his wife moved back home from Melbourne.
• We lost a granddaughter born too soon but with perfect timing nonetheless.

As you see, a year of highs and lows.
Blogwise, I received a report from WordPress about my year in which I learned that I could have filled the Sydney Opera House for 15 sell-out shows with the number of visitors to my blog.
My most popular post of the year was about smiling with the second most popular the one in which I wondered at the visitors coming to my blog using the search term ‘tween selfies’.
I also welcomed my first troll to my blog this year.
I have blogged my good times and also my bad but I have continued blogging.

Writing is my outlet and it is one for which I am so very grateful.
As I learn about life and the ways in which I can live my life in a more positive way, I share my thoughts and it is with joy that I read the comments that are shared by you, the readers.
I thank you for your support and your friendship and although I have never met the majority of you, there are one or two of you that I have and I am richer for the experience.

I leave you with some of my images from this year. I have attempted to find one for each month of the year. Some you may have seen and some you mightn’t and whilst they might not all be photographic masterpieces, they share a snapshot of my world this year.
So let us look toward 2015 with a sense of hope and wonder.
I hope you continue the journey with me. ❤