new
/n(y)o͞o/
adj.

a. not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time;
b. already existing but seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time.

The New Year is upon us, and that means its time for a look back at the year gone by! I haven’t been writing here as frequently as I used to, but what better time to do so than the end of the year? These are my favourite posts to write because they allow me to focus on all of the happy memories and God-given blessings of the past 365 days.

Before we get there though, let me just make one detour…

Last night, Andrew and I watched a video on YouTube highlighting the top news stories of 2017 and wow was that hard to swallow. I cringed as I listened to world leaders speak words of hatred. I cried as I witnessed children without food, families without homes, and countries without hope. In the end, I found myself feeling so disappointed with the world – with the way we communicate, with the disrespect for human life, with the overall sense of selfishness.

I usually avoid reading, watching, or listening to the news. Not because I want to remain oblivious to the hardships of the world, not because I want to pretend things are different, but because I simply cannot handle the mental anguish it causes me. It’s too easy to become discouraged when I’m bombarded with so much negativity. I fail to understand how powerful people of the world can ignore the pain and suffering of others, how they can make decisions for themselves that ultimately destroy the lives of many.

{Perhaps this is an area of growth for me. I should probably seek out some better coping strategies for dealing with current events and traumatic news stories.}

If you’re feeling some of these same frustrations about the past year, I want you to know that you are not alone. It is my hope that we as a society can use the events of the past year to grow. It is my prayer that people who currently feel powerless will begin to gain the strength they need to press on. It is my dream to see a world united.

Okay, back to the purpose of this post…

I am choosing to celebrate the positive events in my life. I am choosing to see the good. On the blog this time last year, I wrote, “Here’s to another new year full of wonderful surprises!” So, let’s take a look back at my 2017 and see just how many surprises there really were.

The Major Events

These are the top five moments of 2017 for me… the life-changing moments … the easy-to-see blessings … the things that brought me joy in a big way.

Embracing the Vegan Lifestyle

What started as a curiosity has quickly flourished into a complete overhaul. About one year ago, Andrew and I started exploring a change in our eating habits. After much research and recipe testing, we have fully embraced a plant-based diet. I’ll probably need to dedicate another blog post to this topic one day, but for now, here’s a quick glimpse into our change.

The first question people typically ask us is, “Why?” It’s taken me a while to have a solid answer for that, and even still, I sometimes feel that my explanation is vague. But when it comes down to it, I now have my own experience to fall back on. Physically, I feel healthier; mentally, I feel clearer. And any positive impact I can make on the environment, the better.

The second question we often get is, “So, what do you eat?” For the vast majority, the term vegan is often equated to salad, and this always makes me laugh, because I have never been the type to willingly choose to eat a salad. We mostly eat the same things we did before, but we’ve learned to make them in new ways. For example, replacing beef with lentils for a Shepherd’s Pie, soaking cashews to create our own cheese sauce or sour cream. Oh, and I can’t forget our little trips to the bakery across the street. It’s amazing what you can learn about food when you really take the time to explore.

The third question that I hear, and that I often ask myself is, “How long are you going to do this?” At this point, it feels like a permanent change. However, I can’t predict the future, and ultimately, I will do whatever is best for my health down the road. I feel that there is still so much we don’t understand about food and disease, so my long term goal is simply to learn and improve.

1…2…3 LTOs 

In April, I was offered my first LTO at the school in which I had been spending most of my supply days. This position put me right on the brink of EQAO and final report cards. It was a hugely rewarding challenge and this group of Grade 3s will always be very close to my heart. Then, in September I was offered the same position with a whole new group of students. I excitedly set up my very own classroom and planned a successful start to the year. Somehow, this bunch of students created their very own space in my heart and it was so hard to say goodbye. Then, to top off the year, I was recently offered a position in Grade 7 for the rest of the school year. Here’s to continued teaching adventures in the New Year!

Exploring the Big Apple

For our second anniversary, we took a trip to New York City. In three days, we took a ferry to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty, window-shopped up and down 5th Avenue, explored Central Park, watched the hustle and bustle of Grand Central Station, went up to the top of the Empire State Building, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, toured the 9/11 Memorial, and explored all there is to see at Times Square. We also ate the most delicious vegan pizza at a little place called Two Boots. There was so much to see and do in New York, and we had an incredible time!

The Arrival of Baby Luciano 

On Father’s Day this year, my longtime friend gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who I am happy to call my godson. Luciano, or Luca for short, is happy, healthy and oh so cuddly. Even if we live at a distance, I am so glad I get to be a part of his family for life.

A Tour of the Agawa Canyon

This fall, Andrew and I drove up to Sault Ste.Marie and hopped on a train for the day to explore the colourful landscapes of Northern Ontario. As we travelled, we learned about the history of the area thanks to audio recordings timed for certain GPS locations. At the end of the line, we were able to explore the Agawa Canyon. Here, we climbed over 300 stairs to a beautiful lookout, and hiked some trails to see waterfalls. Despite the rain, I loved every minute of it!

The Minor Joys

Here’s a list of the smaller, day-to-day joys of the past year. Why? Because little joys add up in big ways.

  • A staycation with my hubby at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto.
  • Andrew was recognized as one of the top 30 developers in Canada under the age of 30.
  • A picnic in High Park watching soft pink petals falling from the cherry blossom trees.
  • Exploring Pioneer Village with an excited group of Grade 3 students.
  • A watermelon-themed birthday party to celebrate turning 25.
  • Watching fireworks from our balcony for Canada’s 150th birthday.
  • Visiting the AGO and basking in the beauty of the Group of 7 exhibit.
  • A road trip to Ottawa to visit one special friend and her new baby girl.
  • A surprise movie theatre set up on our balcony, decked out with admission tickets and popcorn.
  • A relaxing weekend of camping at Arrowhead Provincial Park.
  • Watching incredible acrobatics performed by Cirque du Soleil.
  • A sweet FIRST birthday celebration for our niece, Arwen.
  • The way our cat, Crema, plays with bags, boxes, tissue paper and string every time I try to wrap a present.
  • Skiing at Snow Valley with family (and conquering a BLUE hill for the first time!).

And that’s a wrap! As we move into 2018, may we all remember to look a little more closely at all the wonderful moments life has to offer. Hug your friends and family a little more tightly this year!