My Christmas Letter

What a year it has been. 2017 saw some of my most joy-filled moments walking hand-in-hand with some of my most horrifying experiences of my life. In 2017, everything changed.

Friends and family,

What a year it has been. 2017 saw some of my most joy-filled moments walking hand-in-hand with some of my most horrifying experiences of my life.

In 2017, everything changed.

I became a parent, which is what my year was almost 100% about. My rollercoaster to parenthood seemed to have fewer peaks and deeper valleys than most. Any excitement I experienced was quickly muffled by the reality of our situation, but in the end, my husband and I brought home a beautiful baby girl, the joy of our life and the thing we’ve most prayed for this year.

Not only did we add to our family, but I switched jobs. I left two non-profits I care deeply about in order to reorient our lives around our new little family. I began working part time from home, and spending my days off being mommy.

In 2017, we learned how to keep big secrets, how scary pregnancy can be, how valuable our friends and family are and how challenging parenthood is.

I have to take a moment to thank the people who rallied around us this year – the ones who prayed for us, the ones who brought us dinners, the ones who checked in on us, the ones who journeyed with us. I deeply believe you are the ones who carried us through. Many a people complimented us on our strength, but this was a year where we relied on others for our strength. So thank you for being strong.

This year was anything but easy, but as much as I’m glad it’s end is nearing, I’m also glad it happened. 2017 will forever be the year I became a mommy, and being a mommy is my new favorite thing to be.

Journey with me, here, in 2018, as I revisit the events of 2017, remembering and reflecting on each stage of our pregnancy and our first few steps into parenthood with a preemie.

Merry Christmas and happy New Year!

Meet Mandi

I’ve been staring at my screen for probably 10 minutes trying to decide how to introduce myself. Here are the things that are the very core of me right now and some things that have, at some point, rang true about me.

I’m going to be honest, I went back to Why Things Are Like That in hopes I had written some sort of introduction there that I could reuse because I’ve been staring at my screen for probably 10 minutes trying to decide how to introduce myself.

Here’s the thing, though, 2017 was kind of a wash. So here I sit, at the end of an entire year that I was not allowed to be myself, and I don’t even know how to introduce myself. Here are the things that are the very core of me right now:

  1. I live in Michigan.
  2. I’m a Christian.
  3. I got married in September of 2014.
  4. I had a baby in June of 2017.

But you probably want to know more than that? Here are some things that have, at some point, rang true about me:

  1. I studied Communications at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
  2. I like to be on time, organized and productive.
  3. I like to be active – biking, hiking, walking, cross country skiing.
  4. If I could be anything, it would be a writer. I love words, and grammar, and other nerdy things like syntax.
  5. I work part time from home for a non-profit, doing communications, marketing and IT.
  6. In my spare time, what I want to be doing is traveling, having new experiences and seeing new places.
  7. In my spare time, what I’m probably doing is trying to get my baby to giggle or reading.
  8. I have a dog.
  9. I was a cheerleader and a cheer coach and miss doing both dearly.
  10. I love the Olympic Games. Love them.

I’m sure you’ll learn more along the way in this next writing project – and maybe I will too as I learn how to be myself again!

Thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned. The beginning of the next project is near!

Drumroll Please

With fewer opportunities to write, I had to put a lot of thought into what my next project would be. I’m only laying the foundation of the project over here so far, so while this post is not the beginning of my next writing project, let it serve as the drumroll of what’s to come.

Friends, it’s been so long since I’ve written publicly, but it’s time to put my hat back in the ring.

With fewer opportunities to write, I needed a solid next project – one that would push me and give me good traction.  I’m only laying the foundation of the project over here so far, so while this post is not the beginning of my next writing project, let it serve as the drumroll of what’s to come.

For two and a half years, I blogged here -> Why Things Are Like That for fun, and fun, it was, but here’s my warning about this next project: it’s not fun. This next project is about growth, and growth is hard. Here are some thing you will find in this next project:

  • honesty
  • pain
  • deep thoughts
  • shallow thoughts

Here are some things you will not (most likely) find:

  • crazy traveling adventures
  • lavish recipes
  • latest fashion trends
  • pictures of my dog

I hope this helps you envision what’s to come. (wink)