Goodbye 2015!

So much has happened this year, and it is crraaazzy to look back at everything.  I usually don’t celebrate the new year too much-as many previous years have almost blend together seamlessly in my mind, but this year has definitely stood out more than others.  Here are some of the BIG highlights from my year:

1. Last swim as a collegiate athlete

Swimming had always been a huge part of my life, and after 12 years it was hard to believe this journey had ended. I had experienced the joy of success as well as the pain of failure. Through it all, I know that God has used swimming to challenge, discipline, and grow me in so many ways.  Honestly, I was ready to be done-it was physically breaking me down more than I could bear much longer.  Even though it hurt, a part of me will always miss this sport.

2.  Being in Justine’s Wedding

I met Justine during orientation week at Asbury.  We happened to be in the same TAG group-or else we probably never would have met!  Over my entire 4 years at Asbury, we always did things together (with Anna too-JAK forever!!).  We would have “Say Yes to the Dress” marathons and traveled together for Spring breaks.  Before entering Asbury I prayed that God would provide amazing friendships for me there, and He was so faithful! To stand by her side on this special day was SUCH an honor!

3. PR in Half-Ironman

This past summer I decided to do a new race in July-the Ironman 70.3 Muncie.  I really enjoyed the course if only the run wasn’t so hilly!  I did not PR in the swim, bike, or the run BUT I had a solid performance in each leg to PR in the overall race.  It is always nice to see your hard work pay off.  I placed higher than ever before at an Mdot event (3^rd in my age group)! Maybe it was that trip to the beauty salon across the street from my hotel the day before-yep, those are my priorities…what “true athletes” do before a big race haha!

4. First Marathon

This was my “What Just Happened?” moment of the year!  As I’ve posted before, this marathon was not exactly planned for.  My workouts were determined by “how difficult my 5^th period Spanish class was.”  Sometimes I would go to the Legacy Trail in Lexington on the weekends-long path, lots of hills, no traffic, free water stops J Anyway, running the race felt great…almost too good…maybe I didn’t run as fast as I could have haha! I’m still not sure if marathons are in my future or if I will go to Boston in 2017, but at least I can cross “run a marathon” off my bucket list!

5. Teaching in Quito

I was told that I would have the opportunity to teach in Quito early in the year, and in October it was finally time to board the plane.  The overall experience was amazing!  The school and the kids were so awesome!  It was great to be a part of another culture-sometimes I think we get so used to the way things are that we forget about the diversity that exists in the world.  It was a completely different way of life, and I will use my experiences abroad to help me in the future. 

6. Graduating Asbury

WOW!  Four and a half years is a looonngg time, and sometimes you think “this will never end” and then you finish and can’t believe how fast it went.  I remember worrying about my choice to go to Asbury, but it was one of the best decision I ‘ve ever made-and I am confident that God led me there for a reason!  It is an amazing school with amazing people, and I will miss it so much!  But much like swimming, I am ready to move on.  Not in the sense of “get me out of here!!!” but more in the calm sense of knowing “the time is right and I am prepared.”

I know that 2015 was a BIG year, but given that I JUST graduated, I am fairly confident that 2016 will have a lot in store for me as well.  Surprisingly, I am at peace with the “I have no clue what my life will look like in a year” because I have grown to trust God more with the unknown because HE knows.

Prayers and blessings in the coming year!