quietly surprising

The year 2009 was a surprising year for me.  I wasn't sure what it would bring, but the one thing I knew for sure was that my life this year would be completely different from my life in 2008.  And it was.  Although, not so surprising since I spent the majority of 2008 wearing ACUs and living in Afghanistan.

This was the year of not being in Afghanistan, enjoying the simplicity of life, doing things only when I wanted to do them and being content with myself and my life.  I also tried to figure out where I wanted to be, and thought long and hard about leaving DC for a smaller town and a quieter life.  This took up most of the year, and in October after turning down an oppurtunity in Malta, I finally discovered that I really did want to stay in DC and that this was where I belonged for now.  And I moved out of my friend's lovely, wonderful house and into my own apartment, which I absolutely love.

So, for the first time in over seven years I'm living on my own, and for the first time ever in my life I'm truly setting up house, surrounding myself with things I love, and truly enjoying the soul filling solitude of single life.  This has been the first year as an adult, that I've truly enjoyed being single and been content with where I am in life.

In keeping with the spirit of not being in Afghanistan, I wore skirts and dresses to work almost every day this summer.  It was so fun to feel so feminine and pretty every day, which was completely different from how I felt wearing ACUs.  Trust me when I say that ACUs are not intended to make a female feel very feminine, although they are very comfortable, and there is a certain freedom in not worrying about what to wear every day.  However, this year it has been fun to worry about what to wear.

I spent the beginning of the year at home with my parents, and traveled to my brother's house in Washington state for a weekend of winter fun with my nieces and nephews.  And thus began the spring and summer of traveling to Italy, Malta and Kenya for a month, Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with my good friend KGB, home to Paradise, Utah twice for long summer weekends with my family, and Ames, Iowa with my brother Rob's family for Independence Day.  By August I was traveled out, and was surprisingly content to spend the fall months quietly in DC.

And now as 2009 came to a close, I am quietly surprised at just how happy I am with my life and myself.  Granted I am fully aware of my shortcomings and rooms for improvement within myself.  However, on the whole I feel I'm making progress in the areas in which I want to become better. 

All in all life is good.  I'm expecting great things this year.  I plan on doing more of what scares me, enjoying quiet and not so quiet times, becoming stronger, more content, more at peace and more secure.

Here's to 2010.  May bring it bring a fullness of life, love and laughter for you and for me.  M-wah!