Catching Up & Slowing Down

Today is one of those great catch up days. I decided to work from home today, and it has been really relaxing. Enjoying music, leftovers heated in the oven, and plinking away on my keyboard as John works on some house projects in the background.

Life has been so full lately. I still haven't taken enough moments to pause and reflect on the past year. What I do know is that we are enormously blessed and watched over. Even if we don't know the exact course all the time, God has an incredible plan in mind for each of us.

I have seen this unfurl so much this past year. John defended his thesis and graduated with a PhD from the University of Michigan.  My dad was diagnosed with cancer and has since received a clean bill of health. I continued my amazing job at Accenture. We spent time with good friends, took many fun trips, and had the blessing to visit (and be visited) by family often. In December our chapter in Michigan concluded and we headed to Little Rock, AR where I have been working since June. I feel like the stars aligned for us to come here, but I know better.  These are blessings from on high and no small coincidence.

John is looking for a job in the pharmaceutical/biotech/bio-medical industry. He has been busy job hunting and using this time as an opportunity to develop new skills (woodworking is his current passion!) We are also enjoying the chance to be so close to family. My parents are just 5 hours away, and much of John's family is here in Little Rock.

I know this may seem so obvious to some people, but it is really refreshing to come home to my home, John,  our home cooking, and my sweet kitty each day. Being on the road and away from loved ones takes a toll. It has been so wonderful and easy being here with John each day.

Speaking of that great man -- we celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary a week ago. Our celebration was eating delicious steak and fixings at a little dive in Little Rock, and playing chess by candlelight. That may seem a little understated and perhaps even mundane, but to us it was magical.

I once read on a friends blog that 97% of life is the mundane.  I am just beginning to understand and appreciate that. I am too frequently guilty of scheduling every moment, overburdening and committing  and generally just being a little too stressed. Lately life has been a lot slower -- this has been a refreshing and welcome change.

So despite more normal tendencies for constant "busy-ness", my wish for 2013 is that I take the time to slow down, embrace the moment and enjoy the more simple things in life.