Ive spent the past few days traveling by myself down the beautiful Garden Route in South Africa and in so had the chance to do some reflecting on this past year, and what a year it has been. With Thanksgiving in mind and reflecting in gratitude, I've come up with countless blessings I have been graced with this year. And while i could list on and on, I will share 23 of them with you to stay in the birthday spirit theme.
This year I have been blessed with :
1. First and foremost, my family- and a new appreciation for the strength, struggles, support, and love that weaves us all together. My family has grown together this year in ways that I never could have imagined. And while the process may not have always been pretty or easy, it has yielded stronger new relationships through grace and love for each other.
2. TWO ridiculously great rescue dogs- Max and Putter.
3. Old friendships with new meanings. Saying I have incredible friends would be an injustice and understatement- I cannot express in words how truly amazing you people are! Many of us went through some serious life changing things this year, everything from heartbreaking to overjoying things. Through all we have found courage, strength, hope, and more love than ever within each other.
4. Easter with the Sewards, my second family. Some of my most favorite people in the world, and they have a kick ass Easter bunny.
5. Watching two of my best friends get married. Macon got hitched!
6. Monday mornings at Mitchell Elementary school with my Yoga Kidz.
7. Being in love.
8. Having my best friends all under one roof for an entire weekend. And along with that came 3 days of laughing so hard my stomach hurt.
9. Ringing in the new year on the beach with friends and loads of sparklers.
10. A day biking on Kiawah island with my mom, finding undiscovered beaches that go on forever.
11. ALOT of meals from the Whole Foods hot bar, and a great friend Arend there
12. Vegas.....ok, maybe that's not a "blessing" but it sure as hell was fun.
13. Two days with my dad, who I hadent seen in a year and a half.
14. Working with the Green Heart Project- spending time with my favorite kids and learning a thing or two about plants.
15. 8 weeks in Nomzamo township with incredible people, children, and love. One of the hardest goodbyes I've had to say, but how fortunate I had the chance to say hello.
16. Christmas Day with Zak. Nothing screams "happy birthday Jesus" like a cheesy Tom Cruise flick and red curry.
17. A birthday serenade at 12:00 from a group of strangers turned friends.
18. Happiness, and a smile to show it.
19. Traveling through South Africa. Both solo and with strangers turned friends. An experience like nothing before, and unique to anything to come.
20. An afternoon in Amsterdam. short time- big learning.
21. An open heart to see and feel with.
22. A completely by chance run in with familiar face in a random hostel 7,000 miles away from home... And getting to celebrate my birthday and Thanksgiving with them!
23. Insight into a new culture. It is
the spirit of ubuntu that lives and thrives in South Africa, in particular the Xhosa culture, the culture that Nelson Mandela is from and the one I will have been able to experience for 3 months. 'Ubuntu' is the spirit of giving, of caring.. it means 'I am who I am because of who we all are'
Annnnnnnd one for good luck
24.TIME. Another year of life, what a gift. An opprotunity to continue to live BIG and make every day my masterpiece.
Sending SO much love to you all today and always!
In gratitude,
Chels
We love you Chels - can't wait to see you at Easter and are thrilled to be listed among your blessings. We count you as a wonderful blessing too! xoxoxox Lyssa Seward et al
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