Year in Review-40 questions to learn about my past year!

YOUR 2014

• 1.What one event, big or small, are you going to tell your grandchildren about?
•  I ran a 1/2 marathon this year. It was my first race ever and it took me 3 hours to complete, but it was a huge accomplishment that I will forever be proud of!
• 2.If you had to describe your 2014 in 3 words, what would they be?
• Fun, Trying and Different
• 3.What new things did you discover about yourself?
• I discovered that I carry my stress with me and I try to take care of things on my own and I can't always accept help. I have also learned that when provoked I seem like I am a lot angrier or defensive than I really am!
• 4.What single achievement are you most proud of?
• Running. I am proud of the fact that I never ran (not even in school) and now I know that I can run, and continue to do so!
• 5.What was the best news you received?
• That we weren't moving to WI after thinking that we were for a week!
• 6.What was your favourite place that you visited in 2014?
• The Smoky Mountains for the second time! We went in 2011 too, but the boys were younger then. It was a really nice cabin and a fun time all around!
• 7.Which of your personal qualities turned out to be the most helpful this year?
• My friendliness.
• 8.Who was your number one go-to person that you could always rely on?
• Matt, which is to be expected since he is my husband!
• 9.Which new skills did you learn?
• I started to learn Italian, lifting weights to a small degree and how to be an advocate for my children at their school.
• 10.What, or who, are you most thankful for?
• I am most thankful for Jesus Christ dying for my sins. On Earth I am thankful for Matt, Bruce and Levi and many friends and family too.
• 11.If someone wrote a book about your life in 2014, what kind of genre would it be? A comedy, love story, drama, film noir or something else?
• I think my life would always be somewhat considered a comedy. I guess I would say a Romantic comedy?
• 12.What was the most important lesson you learnt in 2014?
• To stretch before you run and to take protein too! Seriously!
• 13.Which mental block(s) did you overcome?
• I am still working on it, but other peoples opinions of me! I have been trying to not care what others have to say about me!

         14.What 5 people did you most enjoy spending   time with?
Matthew, Betsey, Rachel D. (although this year we didn't get to spend as much time together), Bruce and Levi

• 15.What was your biggest break-through moment career-wise?
• Since I am a stay-at-home-mom I will say that my biggest break-through was both of my kids going to school for the first year and I had to learn to be my own person again!
• 16.How did your relationship to your family evolve?
• As a mom I became more calm. As a wife I became more calm. As a daughter I became more calm and so on and so on! I guess I would say that I have become a more calm person all around and that has helped!
• 17.What book or movie affected your life in a profound way?
• The Bible
• 18.What was your favourite compliment that you received this year?
• That I was a good nursery boss! Also that I am a good mom and a good friend.
• 19.What little things did you most enjoy during your day-to-day life?
• I enjoyed drinking coffee with my husband. I also enjoyed the few lunch dates I had with friends and running almost everyday since May.
• 20.What cool things did you create this year?
• I made a few wreaths, a few paintings and a few canvas pieces.

• 21.What was your most common mental state this year (e.g. excited, curious, stressed)?
• Most days this year I was happy!
• 22.Was there anything you did for the very first time in your life this year?
• I already mentioned it, but I ran a 1/2 marathon and a 10k! 13.1 miles is a lot to learn how to do when you had never run before. I also joined a gym!
• 23.What was your favourite moment spent with your friends?
• Call me crazy, but I love AWANA! I love AWANA for the friend connections made and the kids.
• 24.What major goal did you lay the foundations for?
• Running 13.1by miles. Can you tell what some of my year was focused on?
• 25.Which worries turned out to be completely unnecessary?
• Matt and I went to Myrtle Beach by ourselves and left the boys with Rachel and Bella with Tina. I was worried that the kids or Bella would misbehave.
• 26.What experience would you love to do all over again?
• I would love to go to the mountains again for the third time!
• 27.What was the best gift you received?
• I can't choose one. I cherish all of the gifts that I get!
• 28.How did your overall outlook on life evolve?
• I have always had a pretty sunny outlook, but I think that since I have been free mostly this year I was even sunnier for the most part. And skeptical of people too.
• 29.What was the biggest problem you solved?
• The kids not getting along! We gave them separate bedrooms for the first time ever.
• 30.What was the funniest moment of your year, one that still makes it hard not to burst out laughing when you think about it?
• We have so many funny moments in this house that I can't pick just one to be the top. Most of them lately involve Levi because he is so cute and funny!
• 31.What purchase turned out to be the best decision ever?
• My gym membership is what I would have said this past summer before school was in. Now I would say that my running watch and Matt's running watch would be the best purchases!
• 32.What one thing would you do differently and why?
• I would have to say that I would have procrastinated less this year if I could take that back. Here I am with 2 days left in the year and I am still procrastinating about small things.
• 33.What do you deserve a pat on the back for?
• I honestly will say that I don't think I deserve a pat on the back for anything. God gets all of the credit for the things in my life that are good and the glory too.
• 34.What activities made you lose track of time?
• I risk the sound of being an obsessed running junkie, but running or going to the gym! Also playing games with the boys, when we play board games I think 30 minutes have passed and next thing I know it has been 2 hours!
• 35.What did you think about more than anything else?
• God and whether or not I am doing the right things for Him. Also Matt and the boys and whether or not I was being the wife and mom that I should be and if I was being a Proverbs 31 woman or not.
• 36.What topics did you most enjoy learning about?
• Football. I have liked football for quite some time now, but there were so many things that I didn't know about football until this year! I am sure this question was looking for a more sophisticated answer or something, but I am a simple girl!
• 37.What new habits did you cultivate?
• Here we go again! Running, stretching, sporty stuff and cooking with Tastefully Simple!
• 38.What advice would you give your early-2014 self if you could?
• I would tell myself to stop using my left hand since I sprained it on January 2 and didn't know that until March. It hurt, but I kept using it and now almost a year later it is still hurting! I would have also told myself to stop eating junk food because Christmas time is totally the wrong time to try to cut that out!
• 39.Did any parts of your self or your life do a complete 180 this year?
• I got off of my bum and started to get healthier! What is funny is that I always told Matt about how lame working out was and I could do it if I wanted to, but I didn't want to! Now if I go a few days without working out I feel worse!
• 40.What or who had the biggest positive impact on your life this year?
• The other women at my church. I always have a hard time connecting with other women. I like football, I know a little about cars, I don't always want to talk about my feelings and talking on the phone isn't my favorite thing to do anymore. I fit in with my husband more than other women, but this year I got to connect with other women more and got to see that I am not the only one who feels that way about phones and sports! And, someone can be considered your friend without spending every day with them! I love my church family and am blessed with the women from there especially! Also I would say Matt! He is just an amazing husband and him and the kids help me so much to be a better person!