Hey y’all, it’s my birthday again! I’ve been thinking about this day and thinking about looking back on the last year. Akin to the year before, it doesn’t really feel like I’ve accomplished much in the last year.
We traveled a little. Our family vacation was to London, England this year. Michael and I were happy to share the city we love with our girls and get to watch them experience something new. We took a quick trip over Independence Day weekend to Holland, MI just to say we had.
I made several trips home to Crawfordsville in the last year. Some were for fun (Indy 500 qualifying, Dave Matthews Band with my brother) and others not so much (hospital visits when my sister was sick). Each trip was good for seeing family, though.
I made good headway with my doctoral studies. I finished my academic classes in the spring, so now I am solidly in the dissertation phase. This is both satisfying and terrifying as I make progress toward an unknown.
I continued working at the library, and at the beginning of August I was awarded a promotion of sorts. No longer a branch assistant, I am now a floater librarian. I go around to each of the 14 libraries in the county and fill in as necessary. It has been fun to experience lots of different libraries, their clientele, and the workers who have by and large endeared themselves to me.
I learned to like baseball this year. That was weirdly satisfying.
I made several more quilts this year and acquired a new sewing machine. This continues to be a source of joy in my life, something which I always look forward to doing.
I think the biggest thing from this year is that I made my peace with not having a plan for life. I am far enough into my doctoral degree that people are asking what is next. For the first time, I can peacefully say that I neither know nor really care. I am in a happy place in life, and the degree completion will be a nice bonus when I happens.
I celebrate this birthday with my brother in-law and his family this year. It has been refreshing to spend time with him and his wife, and it has been a joy to watch my girls interact with their young cousins. I am thankful for this time.
I don’t know what 44 will look like, and that is okay. I’m happy to be where I am right now, taking life a day at a time.