A year in review

Or, a smaller list of things that matter

Well friends, here we are. The end of another year. We made a few hundred mistakes, I lost my patience more than once, we ran into the limits of our lives on occasion, and I definitely didn’t drink enough water. But there was also a whole lot that went right, too. 

My husband came home after four months in rehab. We’re still learning, still growing, still in need of mercy every day. But we’re here, and we’re together. 

My daughter, Harper, understood the gospel for herself in a new way and was baptized. 

I turned 37 and even though I feel 37, I was also introduced to Frownies and that’s helping.

My parents gave me three nights in a fancy hotel in Carmel, California, to celebrate the aforementioned birthday, and my best girl, Ashlee, drove down from Sacramento to join me for a few days on the coast. My favorite part was probably the beach picnic; the sound of the waves and the certainty that they will come back to the shore again and again just brings out all the laughter and tears and honesty. I brought homemade sourdough I had pulled out of the oven right before leaving for the airport as my carryon and no one in security even batted an eye.

We had more than fifty people over to my parents’ house on the lake to celebrate the 4th of July, which is the greatest of all the holidays, IMO. The fact that your entire life can crumble and your people are still there, standing around you and helping you clean up? There’s no words for this kind of gratitude. 

My husband fought for his mental and physical health by completing two triathlons and a marathon, and the kids and I were there at every finish line. And yes, I cry and the kids cheer wildly every time the senior citizens swim, bike, or run past us. Don’t tell Alex, but they are the racers I am really there for. 

We were given a dog and she’s my most favorite of all the dogs in the whole world: a golden retriever named Kida. 

I published the book of my heart, and celebrated with thirty-five friends over the sweetest charcuterie dinner. I still can’t believe thirty-five friends showed up. I still can’t believe people are buying the book. I still can’t believe the whole project survived. If I didn’t know before I certainly know now, God just needs absolutely nothing from us to make something happen. 

After picking up my big girl camera one year ago and finally learning what ISO and aperture mean, I did 24 photo shoots this year and there is no doubt I had way more fun than the clients did. The camera brought me to life in an amazing way: it reminded me to go where the light is. 

My kids turned 1, 8, 3, 4, 7, and 10. I need you to know that this crew of six is the most remarkable squad ever. The way they have offered grace and forgiveness. The way they stick up for their differently-abled brother. The way they roll with interruptions and limits. The way they thought a seven-hour road trip to the Oregon Coast in our 12-passenger van was as magical as a first-class ticket and a few weeks on the coast of France. The way we are all a team. My best teachers and best work. 

And finally, I spent 7000+ minutes on the Peloton this year and I am really quite proud of that. Do I weigh any less than when I started? Maybe like two pounds. I love real cream in my coffee and warm sourdough with butter. But am I healthier? Times a million. 7000 minutes has given me a whole lot of time to think about what matters the most in my life, and that list got a bit smaller but a whole lot richer this year.

Conversation overhead in our house that more or less sums us up:

Me: “Has anyone seen Braylen?”
Jordi, from the basement: “He’s downstairs, mom.”
Me: “Where downstairs?”
Jordi: “Cannon put him in Kida’s kennel.”
Me: “Ok, just making sure he’s accounted for.”

The Very Best of Books

The Hard Good by Lisa Whittle
Try Softer by Aundi Kolber
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
Atomic Habits by James Clear
*Not pictured: Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl

The Hard Good was a timely and encouraging read for me exactly when I needed it. I have so much underlined in this book, and I’ll re-read it for sure. Try Softer was, honestly, profound. I learned so much about listening to your life and your body and your story. Read this one, friends. And would you believe I majored in English and had never read Anne of Green Gables? Harper and I read this out loud together this year and I find it as absolutely delightful as I have always heard it was. Anne is an absolute gem of a character, and we can’t wait to keep making our way through the series. Everything Sad is Untrue is just a masterpiece. I did admit to my friends around 100 pages in that I was intrigued by the story but a tad lost, but then everything started coming together. This story told from the perspective of a young boy with the insight of a sage was incredible. Like Anne, I think when kids say something simple but true, it has a far greater impact. Atomic Habits was surprisingly great to me. Like, so obvious, but also so eye opening. It’s a simple read, but one that I’m still thinking about: changes are hardly noticeable, until they are. And Save Me the Plums was a delightful food memoir with Devil Wears Prada vibes and I absolutely loved it. 

What does 2023 hold?

Of course, no one knows the answer to this. Life will continue to feel jarring and challenging, and hilarious and wonderful, too. 

But I can tell you what I’m looking forward to in 2023:

On Saturday, January 7, Ashlee Gadd, and I are teaching a 3-hour writing workshop called Charmed: Writing to Delight. This little workshop was dreamt up over two years of Voxer conversations about writing and engaging the audience and what keeps us turning the pages in a book, and taking our craft seriously while not taking ourselves too seriously at all. It will be both fun and inspirational and leave you with lots to get working on. We have a few spots left, and would love to have you join us!

My dear friend, Laura, has a new children’s book coming out on January 10, and this one has a special place in my heart: Like Me: A Story About Disability and Discovering God’s Image in Every Person. Laura and I have been walking together as moms to our unique kiddos for the last five years, and I am so thankful for both her friendship and her wisdom. She thinks biblically and writes beautifully about a topic I think everyone needs, and I hope this book gets into every school library and every church nursery and every home. 

And while I am on the topic of books coming out, I cannot implore you enough to go pre-order these two books by my sisters: Create Anyway by Ashlee Gadd and All Who Are Weary by Sarah Hauser. I’ve had the great privilege of watching these books come to life. Literally, from the first text message with an idea to signing contracts to first and second and third drafts. These books are going to bless you, encourage you, and inspire you in 2023, I promise. And while their topics are totally different, you’ll be looking at what God can do much more than what you can do after each one, and if that’s not the whole point, what is?

I’m currently writing this on the floor in my basement, surrounded by my kids, using an overturned Barbie camper as a desk, with a baby on my lap trying to push the keys. I tell you all that simply because my lower back is achy and I know I need to wrap it up. If you read all the way through, thank you. Thanks for being here, friends, through…everything. 

Let’s keep showing up. And drinking more water.

Happy New Year, friends.

Katie

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ICYMI: let me tell you is now a reader-supported publication, meaning a good portion of my work will be available to paid subscribers only. I know, friends, I know that’s not a possibility for so many of you, but if you missed it or are new around here, you can read my heart, and the necessity behind that move, here. Like I said, I’ve had a lot of minutes to think about what matters most in my life and I finally took “platform growth” off that list and put “sustain” there instead. This was not a good move for a publishing career. It was the best move for my actual life. 

For those of you who have been encouraged by my words and want to keep reading but simply cannot make it happen, I get it. Trust me, I do. Please email me or respond in the comments and I will open access to all of my writing, no questions asked.