Ten Things of 2018

For the majority of the past ten years, I've wanted to say "good riddance" to that current year and hope for a better coming year. But even though this year did bring loss, change and sadness, it also brought me great joy. I've felt a deep sense of gratitude for this year.

Here are ten big things that happened in 2018:

1. I settled in to my job and house.
2. Ryan and I started planning our wedding.
3. Ryan's youngest brother was diagnosed with glioblastoma. He passed away in April. 
4. I competed in a charity dance competition with a Waltz routine.
5. We got married on July 21st in Thomas, WV (where I did my AmeriCorps service). 



Reader, I married him.

6. We had a "mini-moon" in Asheville, NC. I didn't have enough time off work for us to have a "real" honeymoon. We'll be planning a honeymoon for 2019. 
7. Ryan's brother got married in September.
8. Ryan's cousin got married in September as well. (2018 will be the Year of Weddings.)
9. I went to my first out-of-town conference in Washington D.C.
10. I became a member of the Catholic Charities Atlanta 2018 Leadership Class. I've been fundraising for the organization, meeting other Catholic professionals and learning skills to be a better servant-leader.
11. Oh, and I turned 25 in November! I know it's number 11 on my list, but I couldn't leave it out. 

Of course, this list doesn't include all the great little things that happened 2018. So, here's a list of ten little things that happened in 2018:

1. I love to watch historical dramas, but I'd never read any until this year. So, I read some that had been sitting on my shelf, including Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Persuasion. 
2. Since our wedding, Ryan and I have been cooking a lot of nice meals from scratch. We made vegetarian Moussaka and beet hummus this past week, for example. We also make our own bread instead of buying it from the store.
3. Ryan learned how to make butter tarts! It's a Canadian dessert. He'll spoil me with butter tarts if I'm feeling down or need something warm and sweet to pick me up.
4. I got to see VNV Nation for the first time. Ronan Harris does a wonderful job interacting with the audience. 
   
5. Ryan bought me the latest albums from Dead Can Dance and Shriekback. My ears are happy.
6. I went on another paranormal investigation for the first time in a long time. My team went somewhere local, and it was quite informal. Basically, we went on a night hike with EVP sessions. 
7. We found a kitten and gave it a home. We almost hit the kitten with our car. It was so tiny crossing the road, and we barely stopped in time. The kitten now has a home with someone from my work. 
   
8. I got to do some more ghost tours this October. I loved it, but this year was bittersweet. The parent company for the tours closed down. However, the walking ghost tours will continue with a new owner. 
9. Perhaps I've spend too much time watching TV... This year, I've watched The First, The Crown, Star Trek Next Generation, The Haunting of Hill House and When Calls the Heart (my guilty pleasure). Ryan and I also just started watching a fun, coming-of-age show called Derry Girls.
10. While I haven't written fiction in a long time, I've been taking more mental steps to start writing again. I've tried to make writing in my journal more of a routine. I've reconnected with some of my old English department friends at readings or gatherings. I even set aside a little "writer's nook" in my house. As writing is something I've long felt called to do, these small steps are significant. 

This year, I'm looking forward to more travelling, more home-cooked meals, and more writing. I find that despite having a list of big achievements, it's often the little moments that can sweeten life. What was one little thing that made you happy in 2018?