January 1, a year ago. I woke up early (after a very painful previous evening) and drove across town to be present for the inspection of my condo. It was only my second time to see the place and it was a wonderful confirmation that this was the place I wanted to be my home. After that I stopped at the medical clinic and soon ended up in the emergency room. Because I was sick (completely unrelated to the reason I was there), I slept a lot. It was my first time an emergency room (well, that I remember), and not my first choice for New Year's Day activities.
And thus began 2015. Which really just continued craziness of some months before. About 3 months later I was catching up with a good friend in Boston. We hadn't talked in a few months, so I was trying to update on the important things. As I listened to myself, I couldn't help but realize--no wonder I felt so stressed out. It had been nothing but non-stop stress for months.
And it didn't stop there. The rest of the year just kept right on being stressful. The thing is--it wasn't all bad stress. A lot of awesome things happened. But high-stress awesome things. Here's a partial list: Emergency room. Flew to Kansas to surprise Mother for her birthday (totally successful on the surprise part!). Joined a gym and faithfully cycled when not an invalid. Bought a home. Moved. Slowly unpacked (well, partially) and started organizing a house. Bought a brand new car (in emergency mode because the old one quit during a snow storm right after I moved 10 miles from work). Had surgery. Oh, bought couches houses before surgery so that I wouldn't have to spend a week of recovery on my little pallet of blankets. Started going on long bike rides on Saturdays. Went to California. Few days later Asael, Emillie and Leo came to visit. Father and Mother came to visit, too (same time). Left together to go bike. Biked across New York state on the Erie Canal trail with Hyrum. (5+ days, physically demanding like I can't explain.) Drove across the United States! (turns out I am my father's daughter) Wedding, family reunion, speed drive home. Benson came and stayed with me all summer--which was awesome! but resulted in use of time that wore me out. Dozens of awesome adventures with baby Benson. Head cook for YW camp (the emotional and spiritual stress leading up to this were worse than the physical during camp). Bored to tears with work and not sure what to do about it. Applied for new job; stress of waiting months (because that how USCIS job hiring goes). Calling that involved interpersonal relationships with all kinds of unnecessary stress. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Like I said, other than the health, the drama/frustration/desperation related to callings, and work, it was really a fantastic lot of awesome. But awesome or not, it took its toll.
So I have a special hope for 2016. I hope that it will be CALM. I have a lot on my plate (that was the stress of the end of the year, which isn't up on that list), but those things should just be busy. Not physically, emotionally, spiritually challenging in the same way as all those big things and new things. (Busy ain't nothin' new.) I'm looking forward to just digging in and working on those. No moving. No car issues. No drama (pleeeease). Fewer trips. No unkind emails. No health challenges. That is my wish for 2016!!
Please, let it be calm.
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