HIGHLIGHTS OF 2019 + THE DECADE!

2019 has come to an end.

That's wild enough in itself. I mean, 2020, guys. I can't imagine it ever feeling natural to say "it's two-thousand twenty."

But more than that-- a decade has come to an end. I didn't even realize that until a few weeks ago, but WOW that's a big deal. A lot happens in a decade. People change. Times change. New memories join the storehouse. Like I said, ten years is a big deal. That's almost half my life.

So I wanted to be sure and acknowledge the ending of the decade because my next chance is a looong time coming. ;P

So today I want to share some brief highlights from the past decade. And I'll also slow down and focus more on 2019, as well. Also, this post is very long and I'm very sorry. no i'm not

One more thing: Not all of these "highlights" are good things. Some of them are unpleasant, but
since I'm recapping some of the biggest moments from the decade, I want to mention them anyway. After all, a year and certainly a decade has its share of ups and downs, yes? And I'm thankful for how far I've come.

That being said, here it is.

Me at the beginning of the decade. (this might actually be in 2011? but you get the idea. painfully awkward.)

2010// I had my first crush. I started struggling with with awful self-consciousness and unhealthy patterns. I was published for the very first time, in StoneSoup Magazine.

2011// I turned thirteen. I was constantly bitter and frustrated. I went to the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois for the first time. I had a second story published in StoneSoup.

2012// I started going to Southern gospel concerts, which would later play a big part in my life. I had a third and final story published in StoneSoup. I went to summer camp for the first time. I started reading Lord of the Rings for the first time. My lowest points were possibly in this year.

2013// I went on a family vacation to the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains. I went to two of my favorite concerts ever and felt hope. After years of bitterness and sadness, I finally surrendered to God and found peace. (The anniversary of that day just passed-- December 30.)

2014// I found inexpressible joy in Jesus and left behind the darkness I'd known. I turned sixteen. 

2015// I discovered Go Teen Writers and started reading blogs. I participated in my first NaNoWriMo and started my book The Unchosen Ones. 

2016// I turned eighteen. I finished high school and went to Florida for my graduation with my family and best friend. I experienced the ocean for the first time and crossed items off my bucket list. I experienced the most surreal months of my life adjusting to the fact that I was now an adult and a high school graduate. I attended my first writer's conference. I started writing Fall Into Time. I feared the future like my worst nightmare.

2017// I got my first real job and therefore went through the SCARIEST days of my life. I realized that I was more capable than I thought. I watched the solar eclipse with my coworkers. 

2018// I became a crew trainer at work. I started my blog. I got my first car. I said goodbye to my first dog. I won NaNo for the first time and wrote most of the first draft of Roots to Claim.

And me at the end of the decade.

And that brings me to 2019.

This year has been a full one.

-I got my dog Xander.

The day I brought him home...

… and the most recent photo of him. It's not the best picture, but it's pretty funny because I was in my car getting ready to leave and he was grumpy. xD

I love this guy so much and he makes me smile every day. How can you love a dog so much? I don't know, but I do.

-I finished the first draft of Roots to Claim, the first draft I'd actually carried through in years.

-I read all of Nadine Brandes' books and absolutely loved them. She is one of my new favorite authors and the Out of Time series has affected me more than most books ever will.

-I saw a friend from out of state for the first time in a few years and spent a weekend shopping for bridesmaid dresses for my best friend's wedding.

-I went on a whirlwind trip to the Arch in St. Louis to meet an old, old friend of mine for the first time in person. We became pen pals years ago, and although we haven't written letters in a few years now, we still kept in touch through text and email. It was so fun meeting her and I still can't believe it really happened.

-I met Erica Durance, who played Lois Lane on Smallville.

-I got a promotion at my job.

-I started writing my Trentley and Jynnia stories for the Fairy Tale Central writing prompts, and created THE most lovable characters I think I've ever written.

-I backed my car into some French people's rental truck. Not a highlight, but, well, it happened. xD

-I was consumed with the overwhelming desire to change the world around me. Cameron Boyce's death hit me hard and inspired me to do just that, and also the aforementioned Out of Time series. I think I would have to say that those were the two most influential things that happened in my life this year.

-I watched Lord of the Rings with a friend of mine who'd never seen it before.

-I created my own tag, the Hobbiton Tag, which you can find HERE.

-I was maid of honor in my best friend's wedding.

-I celebrated my one-year blogaversary and made a Q&A vlog.

-I had three flash fiction pieces published in Havok-- the first time I'd been published since 2012. Absolutely surreal and SO lovely seeing all your kind comments and support. <3 p="">
-I dressed as Peggy Carter for Halloween and yes, this was a highlight of my year.

-I won NaNo for the second time and wrote 50k of my newest story that I'm in love with, starring said characters Trentley and Jynnia.

-I wrote 90,494 words. Or somewheres about. This is far from an exact count, because of various rewrites and edits that I can't possibly keep track of. Also, I'm pretty sure I didn't count a pretty good bit of Fall Into Time that I wrote this year because I have no memory of keeping track while I was writing it. xD But at least you have an idea.

-I read 40 books. (please please please just let me count the book I started in December and didn't finish until January 1? please??? for the sake of my sanity? pLeAsE??)

I feel like this year has been a year of friendships for me.

-The friendships I've made at my job over the past couple years have grown and gotten stronger. I feel comfortable sharing with and about these people and calling them my friends now, and it took me a while to get there.

When your friends get you

-Like I mentioned before, I met someone for the first time who I'd known for years long-distance. And that made that friendship mean so much more.

-Being my best friend's maid of honor was so special. I was happy to be given that honor, even over her sisters. That's like the ultimate best-friend experience. Our Christmas gifts for each other had similar phrases about being sisters at heart. TOTAL coincidence but a beautiful one.

-And... I've made so many friends through blogging. And all of you are endlessly supportive. Seriously, I am SO thankful for each and every one of you. I don't have any writer friends in real life other than my siblings, and I honestly don't know how I ever made it before without you guys. Having you to encourage me in my writing means the absolute WORLD. Also, most of my real life friends aren't Christians, so I'm so blessed and thankful to have so many of you guys that I can talk to about God and ask to pray for me. I love you guys. SO much. <3 p="">
Basically, I feel like I went from having exactly one friend to having more friends than I know what to do with and it's just so overwhelming in the best way. No, I didn't have a sad childhood. But I was homeschooled and none of the churches I went to had kids my age, so my best friend I've been blessed to have since birth was it. And that was fine. But now I feel even more blessed with all the other wonderful people who have entered my life. (However, this is a problem for poor little introverted me-- what do you do when you WANT to see your friends but you also just want to stay at home and hide like a turtle all day? xD)

So in short, the highlight of the decade? Leaving behind the worthlessness and darkness that consumed me, to accept the gift of peace and joy that God was holding out to me the whole time.

The highlight of the year? Well... that's hard to say because there were a lot of them. Like I said, it's been a pretty full year. But definitely what I'll fondly remember about this year (besides getting my dog because that's a pretty darn significant happening), is how I've SO enjoyed becoming a part of the blogging community this year. FEELING a part of it. It's so fun and fangirling with you all about books and moaning about writing is just the BEST.

And that's all the rambling I'm going to do about the year. I truly can't believe that 2019 has already come to an end, and I can't wait to kickstart this one.

What was the highlight of your 2019? Is there one specific thing you want to accomplish in 2020? Want to share any resolutions? Let's talk all the New Year's things!