Welcome, 2015!

I love New Years.  Absolutely love it.  It's among my favorite holidays.  We usually celebrate with lots of family friends, wearing pjs, eating yummy snacks, playing games, and toasting in the new year.  This year, we celebrated with mostly immediate family, doing the same things but at my parents' house.  My sister had surgery Tuesday, and after a bit of a scary time in the hospital, she was able to come home yesterday.  She's not super mobile at the moment (for obvious reasons), so we went to her :)

In addition to the time with some of those I hold most dear, I love the seemingly designated time to reflect.  I love the idea of fresh starts, of resolutions, of focus and purpose.  

2014 has been simultaneously the best and worst year of my life.  Let's hit the bad head on:  my grandmother passed away.  My sister has had some health problems.  People I love lost their loved ones.  I got a filling yesterday- ew.  I've made some tough choices.  I left kids that I loved and co-workers I adored at the school that gave me my first job.  Oh, but it was the best, too!  I managed to talk Mr. Cook into getting a puppy, and he is a sweet ray of sunshine in our home.  I transferred schools and became what I never dreamed I would be- a middle school teacher.  I made some wonderful friends with my new co-workers, and I feel so lucky to have them.  I discovered that, while I will always love tinys, middle school kids are awesome.  Maybe sometimes a little weird, but mostly awesome.  Mr. Cook got a promotion.  We went on some great trips to Charleston and Holden Beach, among others, and homecoming at our alma mater.  We went to seven- count 'em, seven- weddings this year, and it was a true blessing to be at each one, to see people we love dearly who love each other make that commitment.  One of those seven was ours :)  We honeymooned and found a new favorite place (here's lookin' at you, St. Augustine).  We got our first place.  We've celebrated the engagements of other friends.  We've loved on our families.  We've spent time with our friends that will always be cherished.  

Looking back, it's clear to me the truth in Colossians 1:17 "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."  What a whirlwind of a year!  And God held it together.  In the hard moments when I cried on the back deck at my parents' house, Jesus was holding all things together.  When my heart was about to explode with joy as I walked down the aisle, He was holding all things together then, too.  On my last day of my first job and on the first day of my new job, He was holding all things together.  As we brought in the New Year, it was humbling to remember Who it is that is holding this year, and all things, together.  

As much as I love New Years, I've never been one for resolutions.  To me, they've tended to feel like broken promises when they aren't kept.  This year, though, I'm making some.  Here they are:

-To better recognize that, when I say "yes" to something, I'm saying "no" to something else; to be purposeful about what I say "yes" to and conscious of what I am (therefore) saying "no" to

-To be more consistent in my blogging:  once a week, and then as inspiration strikes

-To embrace the current season of my life, to enjoy life as a newlywed :)    

-To be with the friends who are there and not touch my phone when I'm having a meal with other people

-To remember that no matter what may come in 2015, I know the One Who holds all things together, and to continually be amazed that He knows my name.

I'm humbled and thankful to have people in my life who are honest-to-goodness forever friends, and to have been able to spend time with them this year.  Mr. Cook and I are meeting some of them for dinner here shortly for what (I hope) will become a new tradition.  

Cheers to 2015!
Kayla