Thankful for the bumps along the way

So sitting here, going through some photos taken over the past few days, feeling very blessed. Have a challenging week ahead, so am getting mentally prepared, you know, by doing things totally unrelated, like looking through photos....

Then it dawns on me, the end of the month is coming up quick (yeah, like ON FRIDAY), and I can't remember if I posted a blog this month. Didn't I write one early this month? So I look. Nope - posted two last month. Hmmm.....does that count for my commitment of posting something every month?? NO. 

Soooo, here we go.....

I guess this is my post-Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving message.  As I rapidly come up on the anniversary of packing up my car with everything I owned (along with an annoyed cat) and driving across the desert to start over in Arizona, I have a lot to be thankful for.  

Did everything go as planned? BWAHAHAHA!!!! Pretty much nothing went the way I expected it to.

And yet, here I sit at the end of November feeling very blessed. I had some pretty good bumps in the road this year, and while I wouldn't have thought it then, I can now be thankful for the bumps. I've learned a lot and grown a lot because of those bumps. I look at what others are going through in the world around me, and my stuff just doesn't seem so bad. Perspective is an amazing tool.

I am blessed by angels in my life who always seem to show up just when I need them. Sometimes they hold my hand and encourage me, and sometimes they give me the swift kick in the ass I need.

So here I sit, more ready than I have ever been for whatever is coming next. Thankful for the experiences I have had, and thankful for the continuing adventure.

I  guess my message is to enjoy the adventure, and find the blessings in the bumps, sharp left turns, and downhill slides when you can. 


Now, because it wouldn't be a post from me if it didn't have photos....

I hiked a different part of a trail for the first time recently, and I had to laugh when I realized it kind of summed up my year...

OK - let's get started. Little rocky, little bit of an incline, but not too bad.

Getting steeper, crap, not sure I like that edge, but doable...

Great - leveling off....

Sigh, more uphill, and a little bumpy

Great, getting bumpier,and still going up hill

OK, less bumps, but are you frickin' kidding me, more uphill??

Sharp turn!!! and keep going up....

OK, really? Is the whole thing up hill??

Excellent! Some direction!

Woohoo! Leveling off!!

MORE UPHILL????

Finally!!! Leveled off and starting down!!

  

Yeah, still more bumps

And more sharp turns, but least headed down!

Yay!!! Downhill the rest of the way and the end is in sight - kind of far off, but it's there!!

And the views.....happy sigh.....

Enjoy your adventures my friends!