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Review of 2015

How was your 2015?

I have been doing a lot of reflecting on this year - easy to do this time of year - and thinking about my goals and things I have my eyes set on for next year.

To be honest, the past couple of days my mind and heart has been heavy at thinking of all the people I have known that have passed away this past year.

Husbands, a wife, children...my own grandma.  All I can do is pray for these families that have lost a loved one.

This year has been full.  For sure.

We started off in Kenya and are closing out the year Stateside.

Nattie traveled to the States for the first time.

We all visited beautiful Switzerland for a missions conference and were thoroughly thrown off by the sun being out past 11pm.

Kyle represented BlueSky and SIM at conferences and traveled to a couple different countries for meetings and trainings.

We traveled to 18 different States in the fall while sharing with friends and churches about our work and life in Kenya.

Andrew turned 4 in August and is challenging his parents with all of his "how does this work" type questions.  (Quick, hon, google it!)

Natalie turned 1 in March, started walking on her namesake's birthday, and brings so much light and laughter to our family...even as she is fully into toddlerhood now!  (You can read between the lines for that one!)

Kyle and I celebrated 5 years of marriage in Switzerland in the beautiful Alps.  Yea, that was amazing.

Such a good year, really.

Health wise 2015 was excellent.

Hit 100 pounds lost in February.  About a month later and more pounds lighter, I weighed less than my husband.  Oh yea!!  (Since then he has picked me up and carried me around...a dream come true!)

Weight continued to drop until we hit the States and I've remained about the same since arriving.

Except for these 8 pounds I gained from taking new medication.

Which is where the Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis came in beginning of December.

Even though that diagnosis has been difficult to hear and start to navigate though, 2015 has still been so good health wise.

I've picked up new recipes to make for my family.  I love to feed my family healthy foods.  (Fave new recipe  might be either the sag paneer or simply figuring out how to cook a spaghetti squash!)

I held plank for 5 minutes (yep, a one time deal.  Ha!) and would like to work back up to that again.

Attempted to run 2 half marathons this year and both didn't happen.  I'm sure I will be able to do that in time though!

Shopped for clothes in stores that I only dreamed of and started wearing sizes that made my mind spin.

And to be honest here...have enjoyed some chocolate, good cheat meals (Indian food I'm looking at you!), days off from working out, and yes - have battled wars in my mind with all I see is fat everywhere.  Hey, I'm being honest.

Overall, though, a pretty amazing year.  I really feel like this year has solidified our family's way of eating in a healthy and balanced way.  I say that because even with being back in the States (where the joke is for everyone overseas that everyone comes back from the States heavier) we have been able to maintain where we are at with eating well.  We enjoy healthy and clean foods.  It gives us the fuel we need to run...lift...bike...swim...whatever we desire.

I'm looking forward to the next couple of days as I come up with some of my goals for 2016.  One of the big ones I know though?  Returning back home.

More soon.





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