BUNCH OF ORANGES: "Where Will You Begin The New Year?"

A New Year!!! Time to reflect and look forward. I can't believe it's 2017!!! The years just keep flying! Time is moving forward and no matter what has happened in the past year... we are forced to move forward!! If you know me... you know I am a deep thinker. My previous blog post was about Taking time for what matters during the holidays. During the month of December I was in deep thought about that and trying to be mindful of everything I made time for. After Christmas we headed to Tennnesee to see our awesome families. They truly understood if we didn't make it this year. 2016 was a little bumpy and with a job change for Nathan.. we didn't go for Thanksgiving for our usual visit. But going "Home for the holidays" just HAD to happen. Once you get there... it's all worth it. The welcome and loving people that await us is an undescribable feeling. You literally forget everything else and that "Home" feeling all comes back.

We started at the Oranges.... so many happy moments and times. I was running one day and soaking up the trail that my father in law had mowed down. It felt ridiculously amazing. I love to run. Such a great time to think. It wasn't until the 3rd day of running that I was once again killing myself to run up the steep hill of a driveway in the woods.... it absolutely takes everything I got in me to run the 1/2 mile hill, but I refuse to walk. I felt so happy to make it to the top. As I was coming back down listening to my music and much happier zig zagging down so I wouldn't fall.... I started thinking about the New Year.... thinking about how we are all in different places. Considering the huge driveway I had just run up... I thought how some of us are at the bottom of the hill.... we are ready to climb high and begin anew. While some of us might be starting the new year at the top of the hill feeling great and on top of the world. Hoping we can stay there for a long time cause it feels good. I'm sure there are many that might be in the middle of their climb and you feel like you aren't gonna make it or you are slipping trying to climb up. Rocks might be falling down on you and you feel like you might never reach the top. Maybe you are feeling strong climbing the hill and you can carry some extra load. Throw someone else on your back and carry them a little while.

The real truth here is we are all somewhere near the hill. It's a New Year!!!! 2017!!!! How are you beginning the new year? Where are you on the hill? Truly I don't think God intended for us to stay in the same place all the time. I think asking God how he can use you where you are right now is where I would start. He can use us wherever we are. But even more he can be right there with us wherever we are. He can STAY right beside us wherever we are now and wherever we are going in 2017! No matter if it's a happy zig zag or a treacherous climb... HE is with us. So I hope your answer for my question.... "Where Will You Begin The New Year?".... is WITH GOD!

Wishing everyone a Happy and Blessed 2017!

And now some pics of our end of the year and beginning of the new year in good ol TENNESSEE!!!!

Time to see our sweet families

First stop... Nonna & Papa's home in the woods... with creeks and rocks and a running trail that will make you feel country girl happy feelings.

Happily running along... I wasn't prepared for running by the spot where Noah was baptized this last summer with our families standing on the bank.... happy tears flowed as I thanked the Lord

Boys will be boys

Cousin snuggles

Watching frozen with cousins... our little cousins

Eva and Noah singing Feliz Navidad

Gunner & Ethan

Sonny loves his Papa....

Blane is the best snuggle bug

Noah loves his cousin

These moments are frequent when you're down in the woods... I love these men!

Took this little lady on a walk on Papa's Trail

Had to carry her some on the way back... but that's ok!

Christmas sweaters for the dashing boys in our lives

For the doggies too!!!! Sonny loves his cousins!

When you walk by a platter with the most beautifully cut ham and turkey placed ever so perfectly with gorgeous pieces of holly around around it... you must take a picture of the wonderful man that's responsible for it!

Impressed with her gift!!!

Blown away with his new beard brush! Lol!

Always a Tennessee Girl!!!! Love my new towel!

The oldest Kellen is 18... with the youngest Eva at 2... sweet moments

Fancy nails

All the grandkids with Nonna & Papa

Getting silly with each other!

The big ol Orange Family! I love these people! I love even more that all of the kids did hair chalk and even Papa & Nonna participated and then we decided to do a picture!