I turned 42 on Sunday, and it was a lovely day. We went to Mass on Saturday, so I was able to stay in pajamas all day until it was time to get ready for a date with my smokin' husband. Every year, I take stock of myself and what I've learned, and this year, I decided I would make a short list of five things I learned in my 41st year of life.
I'm not getting younger
I had a back injury for the majority of the past year, and it was extremely difficult for me to do much of anything. I relied heavily on Walther and the kids. We often did our homeschooling on the ground because lying down was the least painful position for me. It was very hard mentally for me to accept that while I have the 'young at heart' aspect, I'm definitely feeling my age in my body. I've since been able to get some treatment that has helped tremendously, but embracing my body as is has been a journey.
Best friend time
This past year, I went to a homeschooling conference with my best friend, and it was amazing. We had not done anything like that together in a very long time. Quality time with her was wonderful, and I hope to make it a yearly tradition.
Family camping is fun
We had tried camping with our kids before, but it did not go as planned. This year, we chose a better time of year and went with another amazing family. We had the best time! Our kids thrive in the outdoors, and it helped reset me in many ways. It's a new yearly tradition, for sure.
Time DOES move fast
When I had a 5-year-old, two toddlers, and a baby, I did not believe that time would go fast. Everyone told me, and I would scoff. That baby phase is lovely and sweet but brutal and exhausting in a way only parents of babies and toddlers can understand. But now my oldest is 8, and our youngest is 3, and everyone is growing at lightning speed, and I'm trying my hardest to savor it. It's going too fast.
Time with my husband is the best time
This was not necessarily a new lesson for me, but I have seen marriages of family and friends struggle so much, which heightened this truth for me. Walther and I put a ton of work into our marriage. We don't just wake up and have a joy-filled marriage. We invest in our relationship more than anything else. Aside from our relationships with Christ, we pour into one another every day. Our 10-year (what is time!?) anniversary is soon, and I would venture to say that our marriage is stronger than ever. Every happily married couple told me that giving one another the best of ourselves would pay off, and I think they are on to something.
I learned more than these five things this year, but these are the ones that resonated most. I am a work in progress, and every year, I love acquiring new knowledge and new wrinkles. What a gift every day and year of life is! I am extremely grateful.
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Any lessons you wanna share about your last year?
Happy birthday three days late! May St. Gemma pray for your continued recovery with your back injury.