How Much Have You Grown In A Year?

My kids and I leave soon for Winter Break in Arizona with my parents. I can hardly believe that it’s already mid-December.

When my kids get to my parents’ house in Arizona, we line them up against the wall and measure their height. We’ve scratched pencil markings onto the wall every year since they were babies. Each marking includes their name, height and the date they were measured. It’s our way of tracking how much they grow from year to year.

And yet, there is so much that happens in a year that cannot be measured in height alone.

When I think back on 2015, it was a pretty momentous year in so many ways. I left a job at a magazine and began freelancing and blogging full time. I also started my MFA, which has been a goal of mine ever since I was a teenager. Once I graduated from university, started working, having kids, raising kids and then got divorced, I never thought I’d get to realize this dream. But here I am, working away on a degree and a book. (Go, me!)

I also changed my name, sold my wedding rings and have grown personally from all these milestones.

As for my kids, Ari lost several teeth, learned to tie his shoes, welcomed a dog and bravely said goodbye to him. He started a new school, made new friends and he amazes me every day with how kind and loving he can be. Soon he will be seven and that really blows my mind.

Josh learned to read and swim and ride a bike with confidence. He also learned to play catch, throw a ball and hit home runs, just like his big brother. He knows the names of every WWE wrestler and surprises me constantly with his penchant for remembering names. He is also a very bright boy and I’m so proud of both of them.

I am the kind of person who likes to accomplish as many things as possible in a day and especially in a year. I like writing to-do lists. I like to make plans and keep to a schedule. I like to be on time for everything. It’s not been easy, but this year I’ve been learning to let go of plans and timelines and visions of my future. There are just certain things you can’t plan for and I’ve accepted that now. I have no idea what 2016 holds and I’m okay with that. You never know what adventures are around the corner, or how much you can grow.