Tuesday, December 31, 2013

The Final Countdown : RoadTrip Review for December; Looking back on 2013.

It is the end of 2013. What a ride. Glancing back over my blog for this past year, I was really a downer for the first half of the year. And for no good reason. I was just miserable at work and feeling like a bump on a log, and most of that was of my own doing.

Towards the middle of the year, when Amy's and my challenge began, I felt a change; it was a great change. I had a goal. A tangible, in-my-hands goal that I could see daily progress in. Some days I failed. Even some weeks I failed. But, I never forgot my ultimate ending.... a healthier me at the end of these miles.

The tail end of the year really was hard. As much as I gripe about her, almost losing my mother was the scariest event in my life. Because I only have one. And she's it. And I have to love her for all that she is, and now I realize I have been trying to hate her for all that she is not. I have to accept her decisions just as she has to accept mine, and I think a good sit down, heartfelt talk is in order soon.
We also had some true loss in the family as well. My cousin lost one of his twin baby girls shortly before Thanksgiving, and the surviving girl is fighting for her life every day. It was a hard pregnancy and a difficult situation to begin with, but little Elizabeth is the beacon we hope will grow and shine brighter every day; but we also won't forget little Heather.
We also lost my maternal Grandmother on the 22nd of December. It was a long hard road for her, for us all. She survived her husband's passing by more than ten years, and her eldest son's passing by about five, and her younger brother's passing by two. She was 89. And beautiful. And she taught me how to truly stand by a husband and be devoted, but also not to take any shit from him. The way she used my grandfather's name to rope him in was a true art form, and I will miss her playing solitaire or crocheting blankets, and the way the clock on her wall made a funny buzzing noise ever so often because it was a 60's clock... and the way she smiled, her light blue eyes that my father shares with her, and the shaggy carpet that eventually was replaced by a cushy Berber carpet. I'll miss my father bringing her poinsettias for Christmas, and her smile that really lit up a room with the love she had for her family. I will miss her for a long time.

I wish I had a good photograph of her, but all of my pictures are currently out of reach, under a massive pile of crud in the office. Instead, I do have a beautiful portrait of her that was done for the memorial service, along with flowers I ended up taking home.












And now onto the final piece of 2013. I took the month of December off from blogging, so instead of daily breakdowns of the walking challenge, I have a weekly breakdown.

12/1   - 12/07 : 15.28 miles (-9.22 miles)
12/8   - 12/14 : 19.84 miles (-4.66 miles)
12/15 - 12/21 : 32.65 miles (+8.15 miles)
12/22 - 12/28 : 49.37 miles (+24.87miles)
12/29 - 12/31 : 11.43 miles (+0.93 miles) [3 day goal: 10.50 miles]

So, how did I do?

24 Week (+3 Day) Goal: 598.50 miles

My Actual 24 Week (+3 Day) Total: 625.41 miles!

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!! I made it to our destination, AND THEN SOME!!



The little finish line is over Morrow Mountain State Park.
The red square is where I walked to... almost 27 miles more!

And now the coup-de-gras..... The final picture!

24 Weeks. 598.5 Miles.
And WE DID IT!


Amy should have her blog up soon enough... so go see where she ended up! No matter if we made our destinations or not, it was NEVER about the end point. I am SO PROUD that both her and I made the commitment and stuck through it! Some weeks were tough. Others seemed too easy. But we did it, and we did it for OURSELVES!!


As a gift to myself.... I am framing the paper I used to keep track of the miles. It's nothing fancy, but it will serve as a good reminder to never give up, and to remember that I am doing this for 
MYSELF 
and no one else!


So now what.......?? 
I say......



1 comment:

  1. WOOHOO!! So proud of you (and me!)

    While your year didn't end on the brightest of notes, you should still be happy with the accomplishments you did achieve.

    One to bigger and better things this year chicky!

    Love you!

    ReplyDelete