Dear 2011,
Oh, what a ride it’s been!
Come on over, have a seat.. let’s me and you reminisce a little.
We started off the year at a cabin in Ruidoso..
I know, crazy, right? Robert and I actually on a mini 4 day vacation?!
WOW, what came over us?
We relaxed, took walks every day..
Robert carved our initials in snow..
we read books, Robert watched a million movies,
I got to workout in the beautiful snowy mountains and we planned.
Yes we did. We wrote out goals for the year.
One of my goals was to not do something because I was afraid. I have lived most of my life in fear and I have not done soooo many things because I was afraid. In fact I was even afraid to make that a goal of mine.. well, of course I was, right?!
For the first time I was really looking forward to the new year, I felt an insatiable hunger for growth and change (where did THAT come from?), I wanted to tackle some of the demons I had been wresting with my whole life and I wanted to step into who I was created to be.
February 1st, Stephanie and I started the first PrayFit group and I took on the 28 day challenge outlined in the PrayFit book.
Foolishly thinking that I had been working out for ‘awhile now’ so this shouldn’t be a problem. Oh WOW. By week three I was hoping to get in an accident or come down with the plague or something so I would have an excuse to quit. Oh no, not dramatic at all!!
But accountability rocks and I finished.
Can I say that again? I finished.
Nothing of value comes without hard work.
We know this, right?
And completing things that seem so overwhelming gives us new confidence to try other things that seem ‘impossible’, don’t they? Why, yes.. yes they do! This is significant to me because it was the first of many difficulties I would encounter that would test what I was made of. My perseverance muscle was determined to grow in 2011, with or without me.
We continued the remodeling of our 103 year old home, wore our fingers to the bone, but we love her.. our home, she just feels like us. We enclosed and painted ‘my space’ (office, home gym, workshop), sanded and refinished the kitchen floor..
completely remodeled the downstairs bathroom and guest bedroom
refinished the fireplace..
and a couple of pieces of furniture..
painted the outside of the house and I planted flowers! And they actually grew!
Whew! I’m exhausted just remembering all this work.. lol
“Hungry!” came along in June. Out of nowhere, I thought… I have many people emailing me for fitness and weight-loss tips and texting when they need encouragement to get through a tough spot.. why don’t I start a facebook page that can help others who also need motivation and encouragement. And so Hungry! was born.
I love my Hungry! page and everyone who has come along for the journey. But what started out to help others has really helped me more than anyone, I think.. again,
accountability rocks. :-)
In June we also lost our beloved Abuela Vargas. She was 85 glorious years old.
How do you say goodbye to your Hero?
I don’t know. I still don’t know.
I decided instead to wake up every morning determined to live as passionately as she did, to persevere through every test and task I’m faced with and maintain a child-like silliness that will keep me young till the day I die, like it did for her. I love you, Grandma. I’m so proud to call myself a Vargas woman.
August brought another PrayFit group start-up (woohoo!) and September brought an Open House and House Blessing on our home, we enjoyed having our friends and family over to celebrate the gift of a ‘new home.’ It was also wonderful because I called- Game Over with remodeling for the year and it’s been very nice to not work on the house every evening. And Robert has been relaxing, and that’s always nice to see. :-)
I faced those demons that I mentioned earlier, and my renewed peace, energy and positive outlook is a result of having gone through the fire. See? It’s possible. Scary… but totally possible.
I learned so much, 2011, too much to write down in a simple blog post, but one thing that stands out is this: I am no accident, I have purpose and I know what it is now. I need to be spending my time fulfilling what I was born to do.
And so 2011, you are fading fast, in a few hours you will be gone. You gave and you took away. When we started out together in a cabin in Ruidoso I would’ve never believed the year that was about to unfold. It was one of the most difficult years that I’ve had in recent memory, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything, because it brought me here.. now.. and consequently prepared me for all that 2012 will bring.
And so… thank you, and Adios.
Thanks for sharing this Trina. It really was inspiring. I love to hear how God works. :-)
Thank YOU for reading, I appreciate you stopping by. Happy New Year!
Catrina,
What a year of renewal you have had! God is indeed faithful and good. I suspect that if you and I could sit and chat…….we’ve had much in common in our lives. You and I have only met twice ~ at your wedding and also at a christian concert in El Paso when my husband and I drove from Las Cruces to see Phil Keggy. I so wish we could get to know one another!
In reading your blog, I’ve just been newly introduced to PRAYFIT. I’ve looked at the website and signed up for the daily emails. If I want to incorporate this into my daily life, is it necessary to buy the book? Or are most things on the website and in the daily emails?
Also, is the picture of the fantastically fit looking gal dressed in black on this blog…….you??? I think it is, but I’m not sure:) If so, you look AMAZING. If it isn’t, I suspect you look amazing anyway!
Anywho…….just wanted to thank you for sharing your journey. I’ve been needing to get back in shape ~ and this was just the shot in the arm I needed!
Because of Jesus,
Kathleen Campbell
Hi Kathleen!
You forget that we also met at YOUR wedding! :-)
I just so happen to have an extra copy of the book, and I will be happy to send it to you, The book is not necessary but soooo good that I want you to have it. I will get your address from you. That is me in the black, thanks so much for your kind words, you’re very sweet. Happy New Year!
Wow! I totally forgot about MY wedding!! Now that’s just sad! I guess I met so many new people at my wedding that much of it became a blur. But now that I think about it…….I do remember. I was so surprised to see you both and so touched. Bobby and his family did so much for me back in the day. God used them to show me real family, which is something I had not experienced before their friendship. After watching them interact over a period of time, I knew that I was forever changed. I wanted family. I would do whatever it took to be emotionally healthy so that I could be a healthy mother some day. God honored the desires of my heart.
I am so stoked that you are going to send me a copy of the book! Thanks a million. What a blessing:) You guys planning on a trip to Cruces anytime soon?