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One of the Best Years Ever?

It feels weird to say this may have been one of my best years ever, considering it feels like the world is falling apart around us sometimes. BUT perhaps that contributed to it being a great year. I think I felt inspired to more intentionally 'live my best life' .... because you never know when it could all end or be taken away. 

So why was it such a great year?  Well....

I quit things that didn't bring me joy and purposefully sought out things I thought would bring me more joy. The biggest thing I did was embark on a poetry journey. My dear friend Jennifer hosts a monthly 'self care circle' and one had a prompt of 'what is the nicest thing anybody has said about you?' I remembered that a professor once said I should be a poet. Jennifer invited me to River City Poets open mic nights and I began going monthly and reading my poems! After 20+ years of hardly writing poetry, I wrote over 50 poems. I also started submitting my poems to journals, and had four published! Check them out:
Heart on our Sleeves Press: Little Girl Voice (in the Literary Lioness issue)
RVA Magazine: The Gathering and The Togolese Soccer Match

Jennifer and I also started our own neighborhood Poetry Salon! Every month since June, we have gathered with neighbors to read poetry! It has been SO LOVELY and good for the soul. I hope to continue and do more with this in 2026. Let's bring more poetry to the people! Visit this LINK to learn more about our journey: https://www.facebook.com/reel/800686103006074 

I also took steps to formalize my business - Luck's Lane Studio. I have a business license now! I am legit!

I also asked to join a book club that a then-Facebook-Friend-now-real-Friend Michele leads. I'm so grateful that she let me join. I have loved reading new books each month and getting to know the group of amazing women! PLUS Michele and I also did a tour of craft fairs, selling our handmade wares together! Check out Michele's work here: 
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17iSFUwPCz/

I also embarked on a journey to find a new job. Simply stated, I outgrew my job. Though I tried to make it grow with me, it just wasn't happening. In November, I was offered a new job at VDH that checked all the boxes! Still state employment! No supervision duties! The money was right! MORE TELEWORK!!! I feel very fortunate for the job I've had at DBHDS, and also for this new opportunity back in public health. Onwards and upwards!

It was also a great year because I got to spend time with friends and family! My friend Anita and I did some protesting! Annika and her daughter came to visit and tour colleges. Ivy and I met up with Alicia and her daughter in NYC for an amazing Girl's Trip! Also, my parents celebrated their 50th anniversary in July and I served as the emcee, and we just had the Cox Christmas - so fun! 

It was also an amazing year with the Friends of the Library. It is a true joy to be a part of such a great organization. In November I was re-elected president for another two-year term. Check out what we did this year! https://www.chesterfieldfriends.org/past-events/

It was also a great year because of my family. Roy and I celebrated 20 years of marriage! I am so proud of him and how hard he works at his job; he is being recommended for promotion to full professor in 2026. He also really stepped up this year when I had to go back into the office more days; for example, he made dinner almost every day. He goes to all the kids' sports games - even the away games which I tend to to skip (Roy: volleyball, basketball, baseball; Ivy - tennis). He has been very supportive of all my new ventures! He is a great dad and partner. 

And our kids amaze us every day; they are growing into caring, responsible, well-rounded young adults. We love hearing their thoughts. We love teaching them things - like Roy driving - and having them teach us things, like what '6-7' means - ha! We also did lots of fun things together - concerts (Laufey, Counting Crows, and more) and trips (Massanutten, Kings Dominion). And how is Ivy old enough to be graduating this year? Time is a prankster. 

This year was a lot - perhaps too much - but sometimes too much of a good thing can be pretty great. Whatever may come next year, I plan to continue trying to do more of what brings joy, and less that saps joy. And if you've read to this point --- thank you! I'm impressed! And I wish you more joy, and less stress, in 2026. 

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