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Reflection on 2016

I have been thinking about this post for awhile. I truly want to look back and reflect on 2016. It would be easy for me to say that 2016 was the year from hell. That nothing good came of it and that I wish it would disappear. I don't want to do what's easy. I want to honestly reflect on all the things that happened in 2016. This post will be a combination of what happen in 2016 and our first year in CDA (since chaos ensued around the time of our year anniversary here).

Levi and I were driving and talking about life, literally one of our favorite things to do. We were trying to think of the good things that have happened this year.


  • He had to remind me that I completed my first full year at Whitworth University. Whitworth has taught me more then I thought possible. I would not change my time there or the people I have had the pleasure of knowing. 
  • He started his own journey back to school at Northwest University 
  • We went on more camping trips this summer then we ever have
  • We were able to purchase Levi his own road bike
  • Hikes and bike rides happened almost every weekend 
  • I completed my first 12k since moving here 
  • We were able to go back to Truckee for a week and spend time with amazing friends. Got some fun rides in while we were there
  • Continuing to build wonderful friendships here in CDA
  • Spent both Mothers Day and Fathers Day with our parents! (First time in our married lives)
  • Attended an Easter Service with my parents 
  • Welcomed my brother Seth's son Brody into the world
  • Attended several softball games for our niece Naraiah
  • Kate became Mrs. Caleb Ponczoch. All Ponczoch boys are married now! 
  • I was asked to present a paper at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Conference at Whitworth
  • I spent a week at Superstar camp working with Foster Care kids. Seriously changed my life. 
  • We took a group of 50 middle schoolers to camp! #webringthehype
  • Officially lived in Idaho for over a year! Woot Woot!  
I know that more good things happened this year and they will probably come to me as I go about my day and I might edit the list. If you see something missing let me know!

But I do feel that 2016 was a season of heart ache for us. We lost our Grandma in May and Rory in August. After Grandma died Rory and I stood in the house we grow up in and held each other as we cried. It is something I would never have experienced if we would have stayed in California. We had a moment of comforting each other as adults. Those are precious moments. If we would have stayed in Truckee, I would have never been able to have that extra year with my brother Rory.  I saw him more often then I had since we were kids. He was able to come and see our apartment. We watched his daughter play softball. We spent Father's day together. We had the gift of time that I wouldn't trade for anything in this world. I just wish it was longer. I wish there was one more hug. One more I love you. One more "It's gonna be okay". One more "Don't be stupid Emily." But that is not going to happen. So what am I going to take from 2016? Or what am I going to let 2016 take from me?

I am not going to let my heart ache consume me. Some days it does but not every day. I am going to be thankful for the time that I have with the people I love. I miss Rory every day. Not a day goes by that I don't desperately wish he was here. But I am not going to let those moments rob me of the joy I did have with my brother. I am not going to let it rob me of the joy that I can have with others still in my life. I learned that time is short and we never know when our last day is. I want to love deeper and be more present with those around me. I want people to know that I love them. I want my family to know that I love them, always. No matter what they are going through in their lives I love them. I want Christ to use me in a way that makes my family and people know He loves them more then I do or ever could. He loves you desperately!

One final note: this Christmas season was so difficult but God gave me a promise or reminded me of one.
A thrill of hope. A weary world rejoices. 
I am weary. I know that I am not the only one. We are all weary. But this Christmas for the first time understood that line. I had a thrill of hope. I don't know what for but it was there. I know what it means to be weary and to have your heart filled with a hope you don't understand and can't explain. I pray for all those who are weary. I pray you have a thrill of hope that makes you rejoice in something bigger then your situation. 

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