The world is going to disappoint you.

If you let it at least.

This year I didn’t let it.

It wasn’t that it was the perfect year. There were ups and downs. But ups are so often better because of the downs. I got in my first car wreck, the world was tumultuous at best, and after a lot of thought I switched jobs after nearly three years where I was at. It was a big year. Full of big things. Friends, family, so much travel. Also, there was STAR WARS! (3 times for me so far…)

To start the year off right, I took a road trip to Seattle for Emerald City Comicon with two wonderful people who make everything (even sitting in a car for HOURS) insanely fun. On the last day of the con, at a brunch that was clearly MAGIC, my friends Jeff, Jeremiah, and I started a podcast where we talk about everything in the universe that can go wrong. (At the con, I also bought a bat in Batman pajamas. #blessed)

In April Margaret Atwood came to Boise (!!!!!!), and I got to hear her talk, meet her face to face, and have her sign my book.

I turned 30. It wasn’t something I wanted to happen, but I didn’t have a lot of say in the matter. Being born in 1985 kind of forced the issue. It turned out okay though. I partied with my family. Then I spent an evening eating delicious sushi with three of my favorite people, and blew out 30 candles on a cupcake. But that wasn’t the end of my birthday fun. Nope. I also went to San Francisco to visit two of my oldest, dearest friends, and got to go to a screening of Inside Out AT PIXAR. It was madness.

  

I went to Portland for a weekend to see a friend who was visiting from England. It was the best idea to do that. Friendship is worth everything.

After seven years of uncertainty and wondering if I’d ever get my diploma, I went back to college, took a speech class, and graduated! It was a big deal, and it came with a lot of mixed emotions, but mostly good ones. It’s just a piece of paper, and I’m not suddenly smarter, but it *feels* like I am. It feels like I can finally breathe. I know that my self-worth shouldn’t be wrapped up in a piece of paper, but man did getting it make me feel just a bit taller.

I went to Ireland with one of my favorites, and ended up having my life completely altered by a country that now calls to my soul in ways I can’t really explain. We made vlogs, listened to Rick Steves, talked about life, and made plans to go back.

And at that point in the year, I didn’t really think there was anything else wonderful or surprising that could happen, but then I walked into a bookstore, and saw a book that I’d contributed to on display. Right there, for everyone to see, was something that I’d written. My words. Published. For sale. I can’t lie, I started crying.

For the first time in too long I went farther south in California than San Francisco, and spent a long weekend in Los Angeles with dear friends who let me pet their adorable dog, and who bought me a gallon of iced tea because they know me so well, and who spent hours in bookstores with me.

My kids and I celebrated birthdays, equality, first days of school, and holidays. We snuggled, laughed, built lego sets, and grew up a little more together.

You guys, it was a killer year, and I’m sure after posting this I’ll remember something else that happened that was life changing, or just fun, but this post is long enough anyway, so I’m cool with not thinking of it now. Thanks for being a part of my life. Thanks for reading. For making memories with me. I can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store.