New Year, New Kitchen

Happy New Year, friends!

Usually, not much changes at the start of the new year, making resolutions hard to keep. In years past, as soon as all of the celebrations died down I would be right back to work or school, my routine unchanged. While I am once again preparing to go back to school, this year is a bit different than most.

The end of 2017 also marked the end of the football season for the Washington Redskins. Unfortunately, it ended with a loss and an injury for Maj (a low ankle sprain – nothing too major, thank the Lord). Now, though, it is time for the players to rest their bodies and prepare for next season.

With the offseason comes a location change for many, including Maj and me. As many of you probably know, a lot of players maintain an off-season home as well as an in-season home. There are pros and cons to this. Of course, it is difficult to move twice a year (or possibly more, depending on the situation). The setup inevitably leads to time apart for most couples. Still, though, it provides some sort of consistency in a life that is so incredibly uncertain.

After ringing in the new year on our couch with our pups, we began packing yesterday. While we do not move everything between homes, we have boxed up clothes, books, important papers, game systems, and kitchen items (of course), among other things. A corner of our living room is cluttered with moving boxes and luggage. We are now in the middle of our three-day packing process, a process that will take place once again in a few short months, and then again a few months after that. Bright and early Thursday morning, we will head to Texas to visit family before returning to our home base in Oklahoma.

I imagine one day this may get old. Bouncing back and forth, always leaving unfinished business in one place or another, missing family and friends who stay when we leave or go opposite directions. As our moving date quickly approaches, I find myself looking back on this season realizing that I did not have as much time to take advantage of living 45 minutes from the nation’s capital as I wanted, and wishing I would have spent more time with the people I connected with here.

While we will most likely be back in Washington for the 2018 season, the reality of it is, many families do not know where they will be next year. Whether their players are suffering from injuries, experiencing free agency, or fighting to maintain a spot on the roster, hundreds of families are facing so much uncertainty. At some point(s), we will be too. When I think about that, I am reminded of why we make this move every year, and why we decided to plant roots in a place we can always call home.

Reflecting on this past year, I cannot help but thank God for his plan. When I started this blog one year ago, I had no idea what lay ahead. I did not know we would end up living in Virginia. I did not know Maj and I would be getting engaged, and then married soon after. I did not know we would become homeowners. I had no idea how much we would learn and grow, both individually and as a couple. I definitely did not think we would be adding a second dog to our brood. 😊 But, as I sit here writing this, with all our boxes in the corner and Maj and the dogs snuggled on the couch next to me, I am so incredibly grateful that God had this all planned out from the beginning.

That being said, with this new year comes a brand new start. I do not know what all the Lord has in store for us this year, but I can rest assured knowing that He does. For now, I am taking advantage of the opportunity to start this year with a few changes: more quiet time, more exercise, less negativity, and more baking – in my new(-ish) kitchen.

<3 Meg