Jumping Into 2015

Happy 2015! I can't believe it is a new year already, I blinked and 2014 was over - it's going to take me months to get used to writing 2015 on things ;) I started to look back and reflect on the year I've had, 2014 has been an incredible year and I have so much to be excited and thankful for.  2014 was a year of firsts, a year of discovery and growth, a year of recovery and strength. I have been tested in ways I did not know possible and I have come out stronger and ready to take on 2015 and all it may bring.  

I have been recovering over the last week from back surgery I had the day after Christmas - I know, crazy right?! It is still pretty insane to me too.  It was nothing too major and waking up pain-free after the surgery made it so worth it.  I struggled for 8 months with intense pain from 2 herniated disks in my back and I am so thankful that it is finally behind me.    

Taking things easy and letting myself heal has given me a lot of time to think, in between binge watching Gilmore Girls and The Office.  2014 was not only a great year but it was also one of the most challenging years I think I have ever had, and if I am being honest I did not realize how difficult it was until I took a step back.  It was a year that made me grow and helped mold me into the person I am becoming.  I had great moments and I had some very low moments but I believe I can learn from every single one of them. Life is all about change and growth, it is amazing to think about where I am now compared to just a few years ago.  I am so lucky to have an incredible support system behind me every step of the way.  And lucky to have the faith and strength necessary at times to take a deep breath and keep moving.  

I know that 2015 will be amazing! Every moment may not be perfect but it's the imperfections that make life what it is.  Happy New Year to all of you - I can't wait to see where this next year takes us! 

♥ Caro

And A Happy New Year...

Every year, as Christmas comes to a close and the latest, greatest year approaches, I feel nostalgic (as I assume most people do) and I can't believe how fast the years fly by.  At the risk of sounding like the great-aunt you tried to avoid over the holidays, life moves so fast and as much as we want time to stop and take a chill-pill, it never seems to get the memo.  To most, New Years is an overrated and over-hyped holiday, full of awkward interactions, drunken mistakes, and the dreaded midnight kiss.  I never loved the holiday until a few years ago when my family and several close friends decided to get together to ring in the year with a party at the lake.  My very best friends from home combined with their families and a few other friends made for a night full of good food, fireworks, s'mores, and LOTS of dancing.  All of the girls grew up dancing together at the local studio so dance was always a requirement.  My brother was the only boy at the party until a few years ago - this year we even have a fiancé to join in the fun! I love spending time with everyone, these are the people I have known for years, who know me better than I know myself, and are consistently there for me no matter what.   Over the years the conversations have evolved from high school gossip to college decisions to real world jobs and relationships and other scary adult things.  I can't imagine a better way to ring in the new year than with people I love.  I know typically New Years is designed for drunken dancing at a strange club, desperately seeking the perfect midnight kiss - but I have to say, over the years I have become partial to a semi-quiet New Years by the water with my family and friends.  

Cheers to a wonderful New Year full of as much love, happiness, and fun as the last! 

♥ Caro