December and a decade to remember

looking back through the years

New Years' Eve with Nugget, 2008.

Trying to "touch the sky" on Mt. Evans, Colorado. 9/2010

Summer 2019

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2009 - 2019. Have you seen those decade challenge on Facebook? I haven't had a chance to participate yet. But apparently, since I can't find a 2009 picture of me anywhere....I wouldn't have been able to participate in said decade challenge. 
Wowzers, what have I accomplished in 10 years?
I had 2 lovely babies (2012, and 2015).
I went from working gal (2009) to stay at home ('13 and '16 through now).
I learned about Preeclampsia in 2012.
I understood grace and kindness from being in a postpartum depression storm (2015).
I learned what strength comes from surviving storms.
I became a volunteer for International Association For Premenstrual Disorders  last year and went one step further and started lending a hand as a Peer Support Provider (PSP).
I published my first book in 2012 and dabbled with poetry.
​I lent what courage I had and started submitting works to various anthologies. I'm so proud to say that my words are in 9 different anthologies, some benefiting mental health charities like MIND UK and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

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Celebrating our 10 year anniversary

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At my very first book signing in 2012!

Where I believed all things were possible. 2nd book, a poetry collection and journal entries. 2017

One of the first couple of poetry publications that took me in!

One of my faves indie publishers

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If I can sum up what I've learned, and lost, and gained in a decade with just one word, I would say, "transformative," but that feels like a cop out. I should hope everyone's decade was transformative. I hope everyone saw growth, and happiness, and learned from triumph, and walked away from negativity, and pain.
I don't know if at the brink of 2009 I pictured my decade challenge looking like this. This messy, perfectly chaotic,  constantly changing view of self but I'm feeling hopeful, and secure about this coming one. I went from dreaming what was possible to living what could be, finding out my whys of existing, and grabbing hold of a passion. I want my next decade to continue to live with purpose. 
If this decade of going from mid to late 20s to mid to late 30s has been transformative.
​My word for the following 10 years would be AUDACITY.

I want to have the audacity to write about maternal mental health and speak to others about my lived in experiences.
I want to be bold enough to speak up about what I am: author, writer, poet, versus the identities that are my current seasons: stay at home mama, substitute teacher.
My identities of always aspirating for more. 
I want to have the audacity to pick up that sword fighting class I say I'm going to do and be a black belt, sword fighting ninja or run across a finish line 13 1/2 miles away. 
I want to be bold in speaking up about my faith, my courage, my dreams and hopes.
I want to have the audacity to do
and take
and be
and say
and live for Christ
​this coming decade. ​​

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May your Christmas be bright, your year be sparkly and new.
Happy Holidays and a bright decade is my wish for you. 
​- Leila