It's that time of year again. That time when yet another year comes to a close and we look with hope on a new one just popping over the horizon. I always love the end of the year because it is the best time to reflect. Life is grand and glorious and let's face it.....each year is filled with boatloads of memories to remember and things we hope to forget. 2016 was no different and this year was a BIG year.
I am so incredibly grateful for this man that I chose to do life with. We celebrated 12 years together this year and I for one was hit with the reality of, "Holy cow.....its been 12 years?" In many ways we have matured into our 12 years of marriage and yet there are still those wonderful parts of our marriage that remain constantly new and young and fresh.
We still have an amazing ability to make each other laugh and fall in love with each other even amidst the chaos of our big and beautiful life. We are constantly morphing and growing our relationship and this year has stretched us hard. My dream of doing an IRONMAN smacked us right in the face and taught us both so much about the unyielding power of sacrifice. Bob willingly gave up a lot this year, and stepped into an all-around role that demanded much more than he had bargained for. He did this all with amazing humility and grace. I, on the other hand, stepped all into training for an IRONMAN, giving far more time and dedication than I had originally planned for. The Lord blessed me with an opportunity to dive fully into IRONMAN with a coach and it is only because of this man's unwavering and selfless love and support that I was able to embrace it in all of its time and energy sucking glory.
He is amazing......and we are amazing together and I simply am grateful to have married a man that doesn't fear greatness and the effort needed to get there. He truly is the IRON in my IRONMAN.
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Speaking of IRONMAN, I am an IRONMAN! I did it. I completed my goal race of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 and running 26.2. It was an incredible experience and I discovered that I have a real talent for endurance. I LOVED training for the race and the experience of IRONMAN was amazing. While I am ready for a non-IRONMAN year, I am super excited to set my sights on IRONMAN Boulder 2018. I simply had an all around successful year of racing. I started the year off tackling a sub 4-hour marathon and ended my racing calendar with IM. I spent most of my year either training for racing, racing, spending time with my family or doing my other love,
photography. I am ever so grateful for my incredible clients that once again entrusted their pictures to me. It's a blessing and something I do not take lightly. I am looking forward to many more weddings and family photos next year. I might even use some of my down time to hone some new photo skills.
Bob is simply thriving and so happy with PSPC. His work-life balance is right on par and I am ever so thankful that we made the move to the Arizona area. The move granted us the greatest gift, TIME, and I will forever be grateful. Bob spends most of his week in his Tempe office, but easily works from home 1 or 2 days a week. He goes in late and comes home early on days that are needed and there is simply very little stress with his job. It's a blessing. The girls absolutely LOVE that Dad can be with them and he takes full advantage of his added energy with experiments, projects and answering the never-ending call to give tickles. He is an incredible father and I have seen the relationship he has with his girls blossom this past year. Everyone loves Mom, sure, but they also do just fine without me. Bob does travel with his job which has allowed me quality time to reconnect with my girls. One thing stands firm though, Dad is WAY more fun than mom. I run a tight ship with a lot less ice cream and a lot more making our beds.
My girls.....oh where do I even start? I am so glad that I chose to be a blogger because one blog or yearly letter is just too short to be able to talk about them. My girls are bold rays of sunshine. Together they have grown up so much this year and I have stepped away from IRONMAN and back into the role of full-time Mother to meet these new beings that inhabit our lives.
Lily Grace is becoming a young woman. There is so much little girl still about her, but her maturity has changed the most drastically this year. Starting Kindergarten was equally exciting and scary as she had to enter a new school with a whole class of new friends. Even so, Lily has easily found her place and is liked by every girl in her class. She is "in love" with a new boy every week it seems and we have had to have more than one conversation on the "no kissing" front. She has so much love to share and I simply love her for it. She is curious and anxious to try everything. Lily is still a fantastic swimmer but decided to give gymnastics a try after witnessing the "Final Five" take Rio. She likes it most days but just the other day she asked if she could do Karate next. Yes.....we are indecisive right now. Lily has a tender heart and is becoming more and more aware of the injustices of the world. Whenever we pass a homeless person on the street Lily always wants us to give something to them. Occasionally she will cry that they "Don't have a home." We have also been asked on more than one occasion this year if we could adopt a kid. "They don't have a home Mommy, and we do." True.....so true.
Lily did her first triathlon this year and loved every second of it. She keeps asking me when she is going to do another one and I can't help but smile....soon little girl.....soon. She cheered me through IRONMAN and there were several days where her encouragement helped me do what I needed to do. She is special.
While Lily and I butt heads a lot, our relationship is ever growing and morphing into a special one. I demand much from her because I know the greatness within and she and I are slowly learning how to love each other better and yell a whole lot less. She is determined and driven, bold and vivacious and I look with great anticipation to 2017 and watching her blossom even more.
Evie. I'm literally smiling right now as I write this. I LOVE this child so very much. Evie turned 3 this year and WOW she turned into her own ball of fierceness. She has given us a run for our money in the past few months and will still give an emphatic "NO!" when she doesn't want to do something. Evie started preschool this year and I am amazed by her. She goes 5 days a week and has been completely independent and bold about it. She has not cried at drop off once. She amazes me. While we have had a few behavioral issues lately one thing remains for sure. Evie Frances knows exactly who she is and what she is about. Every morning when I take her to school, she walks right into her class like she owns the joint with a bounce in her step and a smile on her face.
Evie longs for quality time. Every day our house is filled with the unending question, "Will you play with me?" I spent so much of this past year telling her no because of training and the continual to do list, that now I am embracing my Yes. I am still a poor playmate when it comes to imaginative play, but Evie is so forgiving and finds contentment in just having me near. Our weeks are spent going to school, playing, running errands, playing, picking up Lily, playing and then having Daddy show up to finish the day in a pile of tickles. Evie's life is very sweet.
Evie is everything big, bold and full of life. She is amazing and I am ever so grateful that the Lord blessed us with her. I am really looking forward to investing myself more in her this next year. She is going places.
As we leave 2016 behind in all of its glory, we look with hope on the future and blessings of 2017. Life is so worth living. We Longmires are living it well and eternally grateful for a Jesus who loves us, families that support us and a community of neighbors and friends that are doing life with us.
Here's to an amazing new year!
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