Happy New Year - 2018

Happy New Year!

As I sit here reflect back on 2017 I am overwhelmed by the thoughts that just keep coming. It's almost like the waves crashing on the shoreline, one right after the other.

2017 was an emotional year to say the least. Losing our house and everything we owned was extremely difficult but through it all I always chose to stay positive. Sure there were bad days where I would sit in my own personal pity party because of my circumstances but I always pulled myself out and put an end to that. I had a family that needed me to focus on them and not my situation.

I always knew that God was in control and he was going to take care of me and my family. I just had a sense of peace. It's hard to describe. It was a faith I knew I had but never realized how deep it went. I just knew that we would come out of this and some how, some way, my family would survive and move on.

And we have moved on. We celebrated Christmas in our new home and New Year's Eve with new neighbors. 

But I have not forgotten what brought us here. I am definitely not the same person I was before the flood. Hurricane Harvey changed me. He left his mark deeply embedded on my life. 

Hurricane Harvey taught me a few things. I can do anything for a short amount of time. I am stronger than I give myself credit for. There are some wonderful people in the world who will come and help complete strangers because there was a need. I learned even though I said it was trash, it still was painful to toss it to the curb, but I also survived it all being thrown away. I have some pretty amazing friends. As long as my family is safe and they are with me, everything would be alright. I learned that everything is going to be OK, maybe not that day or the next or even 102 days later but in time it will be.