Hi 2013.

The first day of every new year I always try to picture the year ahead, what I'm looking forward to, the things that make me want to dig my heels in, and everything in between. I do this because well, I'm human, with a need to understand and prepare for anything that might come my way. The thing is I'm terrible at predicting the future. Even the things you plan for, work towards, somehow turn  out differently than expected. Then there are disappointments (or pleasant surprises), and the nagging feeling that no matter how hard you try to map out all the details of your life, it's not going to go the way you expect it. I'm realizing this year I'm okay with that. This year will be year of discovery. Surprises. Decisions upon decisions. I'll take the good with the bad because honestly, I have no choice. However, I choose how I deal with these things, and I hope this year I make better choices than at other times in my life.
Today has been a beautifully bright day, and I took advantage of this phenomenon by bundling up Hudson and going on a walk - one of the most therapeutic things I can do for myself. I noticed something for the first time since moving to this part of town - I can see Cheam from where I live! Cheam is a mountain range that holds special significance to myself and my family. It is located maybe 50 or so miles from where we live, and lately it has been so gray and cloudy, I had no idea one could get such a perfectly clear view of the mountains from my neighborhood. It's a good reminder about life in general. The beauty is still there, even when it's veiled. Sometimes it is shrouded in gloom and gray skies for so long that we forget about it. But it is there.
I wish you all a happy new year, and a reminder to seek out God's best for your lives even when the joy of life feels like it is hidden.

Oh, and here is a peek of my 27th birthday on NYE (compliments of Ty's phone), shared of course with my two lovely sisters:

Fuzzy, but I like!

I walked into a DQ (tradition states that we must celebrate our birthday with an icecream cake) and asked the girl if she would put a three-headed person on a cake. She didn't bat an eye, just asked for a quick sketch on a napkin, and came back a few minutes later with this masterpiece!

And here is one of the back side of Cheam, taken when visiting my grandparents in Agassiz a few days ago: