Tag: reflecting

Year in Review

2018 – A Year in Review

Amanda

In November, I was back in Manhattan, Kan., for a few days and spoke to an agriculture communications class at my alma mater (Kansas State). After my presentation, I spent most of the time answering students’ questions about my career and my path there. Toward the end, one of my old professors asked, “So what’s next for you Amanda? Do you have a 5-year plan or some goals looking forward?”

I responded, “Nope, I have no idea.”….and I’m pretty sure a couple of the seniors started to doubt everything I had just told them.

He then asked, “So how do you feel about that, or how do you deal with that uncertainty,” and the short part of my response was, “Well I’m going to go work tomorrow, I’ll probably go the next day and God-willing I’ll go the day after that.”

I don’t exactly remember the rest of what I said, but I’ll explain… That short response doesn’t specifically pertain to my job, (which to be clear, I LOVE) but more so to my life in general in 2018. It was just a weird year for me — and perfectly fits the sentiment, “lots of high-highs and low-lows.”

2018 was a year where I had to focus a bit more on patience and letting things go. Yes, of course I still have goals and bigger dreams, but some of them are just starting to evolve a bit and they need the space and time to do so. Right now, I am focusing on being present for the things right in front of me. It is kind of funny to think about the habits we spend so much time forming, only to grow up a little more and realize that some things we need to unlearn — in order to be a better version of ourselves or to move on onto a new season of our life.

2018 was a little bit heart breaking and harsh. It was gritty, sarcastic and the kind of year that really made me think on my feet. But it was also so colorful, and after a super rainy summer in DC, I was grateful for every ray of sunshine, both literally and figuratively. 2018 took me on grand adventures that added new perspectives and cultures to my life, and I got the chance to laugh a few of those deep belly laughs that are so good for your soul. This year was bittersweet, often catching me off guard with memories that needed to be tucked away and full of people who showed up and dug their feet in. There are few things more precious than the grace and love of people who believe in you. 2018 planted so many seeds for good things to come in 2019 and I am so ready for it.

I am thankful for this exciting life that I get to live, and even an off year, like 2018 was for me, deserves to be celebrated.

So hold tight 2019, I know you’ve already started (slacker blogger over here), but I am going to give 2018 one last look…

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In 2018, I traveled to 2 countries…

In April, my friend Brandi was traveling to London on a work trip and we decided make a girls trip out of it. I flew over a few days after her and we had the best time exploring the city in search of corgis and royals (and found none), had our fill of fish and chips and cried during The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre.

In September, I spent two weeks in Italy with 6 family members on a week-long self-guided walking tour through the Italian countryside. We also visited Rome, Pompeii, Naples, Venice and Florence. It was quite the trip, which included me spraining my ankle (still not quite ready to laugh about it yet)! And of course, I captured it all here on the blog with hundreds of photos and am still dreaming about the views we saw and all of the amazing food we ate! I had quite a few posts from this trip so I am going to list them all out here:

Walking Rieti to Rome – Summary
Doors of Italy
Exploring Rieti
Self-Guided Walk Day 1
Self-Guided Walk Day 2
Self-Guided Walk Day 3
Castello Orsini Hotel
Self-Guided Walk Days 4 and 5
Self-Guided Walk Day 6
The Colosseum and Exploring Rome
St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museum
Pompeii and Naples
Venice
Florence

In 2018, my parents visited me in DC…

Other than a quick visit from my Mom in 2016 to help me move apartments during a busy time, this was my parents’ first official trip to DC to visit me! In March, I had so much fun showing them them all of my favorite places and even exploring a few that were new to me. I NEVER take it for granted how supportive my parents have always been of my goals and independence so it meant so much to me that I could take some one-on-one time with them to share my current home and why I love it so much.

In 2018, I traveled to Nashville for a 5-year college reunion with my old roommates…

Kyla, Megan and I all met when we were freshmen at K-State and residents in the Smurthwaite Scholarship/Leadership House. We quickly became friends and after two years there, we continued to live together through the remainder of college. Megan and I were co-Maids of Honor in Kyla’s wedding, and they are still such an important part of my life. 2018 marked five years since we graduated (what?!) so we decided to make the most of it and go on a reunion girls trip to Nashville and had so much fun reminiscing about college and making new memories.

In 2018, I traveled a lot for work, per usual, and continued working hard at a job that I love…

This year took me to Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona (twice); Seattle, Washington; all over North Dakota; Kansas City, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; and Manhattan, Kansas. In March, I celebrated three years at U.S. Wheat Associates and in July we launched our new website, after I’d spent the previous 7 months pouring everything I had into leading the project. I also shared on the blog about why I was loving my new standing desk (and still do!)

In 2018, I celebrated 100 classes at Pure Barre…

Right at the end of 2017, I practically forced myself to try Pure Barre. I didn’t really want to, but it kept coming up as something I might like and I was a little desperate for a bit of positive order in my life. It might sound dramatic, but Pure Barre honestly helped pull me out of a negative place and was one of the best things to happen to me in 2018. I found something that fits me and now I can’t imagine not having it as a part of my regular routine. In June I celebrated taking 100 classes!

In 2018, I spent a lot of time behind my camera…

It’s been my goal to learn more about photography and how to better know my camera inside and out. I haven’t really pursued that yet, but I did spend a lot of time in 2018 behind it getting a lot of practice. I will never claim to be a pro because there are too many people (and friends) whose talents I have so much respect for, but its a hobby that I love and that really fulfills my creative side. Aside from my big overseas trips, here are a few other of my photo ops in 2018:

Sawyer June turns 1
Golden Hour on the Farm
Pendleton Round-Up Wagon Train
North Dakota Wheat Tour & Sunflowers

In 2018, there was SO MUCH more…

I took a care free approach to my vision board, wrote a personal post on emotional courage and midway through the year shared how I was striving to have a better attitude by writing down my weekly “roses and thorns.” In March, I was a guest blogger for one of my favorite full-time bloggers, Erica at Whimsical September, and in October I celebrated my 28th birthday by writing a love letter to my 18-year-old self. I tried to soak in all the family time that I could on two trips home to Oregon in June and December, and of course doted on Sawyer June. I saw the Grand Canyon and George Strait in concert (in Vegas!!), both for the first time. I served on the AFA Alliance Planning Committee and had the opportunity to serve others and continue to develop myself professionally in an organization that did so much to give me my start. I enjoyed time with friends both here in DC and during my various travels, and kept coming back to the same thought of how grateful I am for their words and company. And of course, I listened to some great live music and drank a lot of great wine 🙂

Yes, 2018 saw a lot of tears and hard moments, but man, it was also so, so good. Thanks for continuing to stop by and read along on this little blog of mine.

Wishing you all the very best in 2019.

For a look at past Year in Reviews:

2017
2016
2015
2014

Life Notes

Vision Board Party

Amanda

I’ve never personally been really big on making New Year’s resolutions. I think goals should be made as we see a need for them and not just because we pushed an imaginary reset button. Plus, if I am being honest, January is always my least favorite month and I think we put way too much pressure on it. We come off of the holidays a bit burnt out, the weather is usually crappy (if you know me, you know how much I hate winter) and for me, the first six weeks of the year always tend to be pretty hectic work-wise. But that’s just me and how I’m wired. I don’t mean to knock anyone down who really anchors themselves to New Year’s resolutions — I think it’s great!

But coming off of a really crummy and unexpected end to 2017, my mood and attitude have been really down. A few weeks ago, I was out in the evening with some friends and they all were sharing what their resolutions were. When it got to me, I fairly bluntly said, “I don’t have any. I’m just in survival mode and doing the day-by-day thing.” I know my attitude is something that I am responsible for working on, but I also accept that this phase is just something that will eventually get better with time.

With all of that said, I was invited to a “Vision Board Making” Party this weekend and really had a great time!

Jackie did her’s on a cork board. I wish I had thought of that!

My friend Brenda from my young adults small group invited a group of women over and really did a great job at creating a positive environment. We had yummy food, a relaxing scent in her diffuser, an upbeat music playlist, the Grammy’s on in the background and all the magazines we could ever need to pick through.

Some of the women had specific focus words or goals that they planned their vision boards around, and it was fun and motivating to hear a little bit about how each one is planning to own their 2018. I decided to just focus on words and things that were positive and just made me smile (or laugh in one specific case). In middle school and high school I used to cover my binders like this, so I really enjoyed the chance to relax with some girl chat and feed my creative side for an evening.

In the last week or so, I did finally jot down I few basic things that I really want to focus on in the next few months.

  • I haven’t been a regular reader since before college and its something I really miss. I’d like to try to read at least two books a month. My childhood self is cringing right now, but hey, baby steps.
  • My blog is still just a hobby, and it probably always will be only that, but it does make me really happy so I am shooting for at least one post a week, but more striving toward 2 to 3.
  • Balancing healthy eating and consistent exercise is probably permanently on my list, and that’s ok. I also want to try to focus on finding things that just make me feel good overall and make bettering these habits less of a chore.
  • I want to read or seek out resources to learn more about personal finance. I have a good budgeting and saving system in place, but I want to learn more about long term planning.
  • After being here for almost 3 years, there are still a few DC-area things that I haven’t crossed off my bucket list! And I want to explore at least one new-to-me East Coast city.
  • I have a few work/career related goals and plans toward being a better professional and communicator

There are a few other things on my mind lately, but I’ll keep those to myself for now. I’ve always believed in goal setting, but not just as set hard line of accomplishments to check off. I see a lot of goals as guidelines toward being your best self, whatever that might be during that season of life.

Wishing you all a wonderful 2018 and good luck on those goals and resolutions!

Love Letters

Love Letter: To My Planner

Amanda

I laughed when I first thought about writing this post because it seemed a bit silly. And while it might indeed be, it was on my mind enough to go ahead with it. I should start out by saying that I am 100% Type A and super organized, which basically means that my planner is an extension of my body, probably even more so than my phone, which gets used for everything else. But I just can’t bring myself to adapt my planning, schedule and note-taking to the digital world. Anyone who is Type A and super organized will shamelessly shake their head in agreement over this post, and anyone who is not, go ahead and get your head scratching and laughs in 🙂

So, late in 2017, I was facing a dilemma when it came to deciding what to do for a planner in 2018. I usually buy the next year’s planner in August, because HELLO, planning never stops! I received my leather Franklin Covey for my high school graduation and every year I choose a new Franklin Covey filler for the inside. But in the last year or so I started to feel like those fillers didn’t fit my style or needs anymore. (Overall, not criticizing Franklin Covey. They have great products and even greater professional development tools!) So I started shopping around for some new, and chose to jump over to the Erin Condren brand and picked the LifePlanner.

But I kept returning back to the thought that I was a little nostalgic and sad to be retiring my planner that had been my sidekick for 8 years. I remember being SO EXCITED when I received it and couldn’t wait to put all of my first semester of college classes in. It also came from someone who was my favorite teacher, mentor and a family friend. Many of the pages came with quotes at the top, but Sam (Mr. Herringshaw) had went through and added more quotes and little notes of encouragement. It can be hard sometimes, even for me, to describe what certain people have meant to me through different seasons of life, but Sam was a true champion for me and played a big role in who I became as a student, a professional and a person. Those handwritten editions to the planner were such an encouragement to me during my first year in college (and being so far away from home) and when the year ended I snipped a few out and still keep them in the planner today.

Eight years is a long time, and this planner has seen so many things happen in my life, all while helping keep my sanity in check (for the most part).

So dear planner, this love letter is for you.

You saw me through 4 years of college at Kansas State University. Four years that were filled to the brim with classes, homework and tests, club meetings, two internships, an on-campus job, Saturday football games and probably way to many social events. I was a BUSY student and pretty early on I established that if it wasn’t in the planner then it didn’t exist and wasn’t happening. One of my favorite rituals every semester was to sit down at the end of the first week and fill out all of my new classes, due dates and upcoming events. It was always the first and only time those pages were neat and tidy because after a few days all of the notes, rescheduling and doodling would ensue, and I would eventually give up trying to color coordinate everything with my color pencils. But during those four years, you helped me develop skills in time management, organization and making priorities that I now use everyday.

Almost since day one, the plastic zipper pouch held my favorite picture of my family from when I was a little girl and an index cardwith my favorite quote on it. I kept them there because I was sure to see them multiple times a day, especially on the hard ones.

You saw me through my interview for my first job, which happened during finals week of my fall semester, and arguably one of the busiest weeks of my life to date. But I got the job, and how I used my planner started to change. Instead of classes, I kept social media content plans, meeting times, future tips and reminders and  important phone numbers and notes.

In 2014, I was in two weddings on back-to-back weekends, and you kept it all together for me from the all of the pre-wedding events and up to the big days.

In 2015, I found out about a new job across the country in Washington D.C. on January 9. On February 9, I accepted that  job, and on March 9 I spent my first day in my new office. You can bet you were along for that ride. Even in college, I don’t think I ever had that many lists and to-do’s to keep track of.

Your pages have been filled with travel schedules, grocery lists, birthdays, blog ideas, conferences, vacations, celebrations, apartment hunting notes and doctor appointments.

I shared my goals with you, whether they were day-by-day boxes to check off or big dreams that I wanted to write down and hold myself accountable to.

One of Sam’s own sayings that he wrote that first year, that has always stuck with me is:

Opportunity knocks; that doesn’t mean you have to knock the door off the hinges.” – Sam Herringshaw

I consider myself an ambitious person most of the time, but I think that point of view is a bit humbling and a good reminder about staying grounded and being intentional with your time and pursuits. And kind of perfect to go along with a planner, am I right?

So thanks, old friend. I am moving on, but don’t fret, you now have a permanent spot on my kitchen counter and will still be in charge of keeping my life organized in other ways.

Love, Amanda

And here’s to new beginnings! This post is not sponsored, but I do have a referral code if you are interested in getting something from Erin Condren yourself. They have lots of fun things besides planners!

Year in Review

2017 – A Year in Review

Amanda

Let me annoy you by being cliche and stating that “I can’t believe 2017 went by so quickly.” 🙂

But really, 2017 felt like a WHIRLWIND for me.  Personally, my year was filled with good health (well, for the most part), great adventures and even greater people. I worked through the hard knocks and challenges, and feel content that I was able to grow through most of those experiences. Looking at the world around me, it would be wrong to ignore that 2017 was certainly a hard year, but I choose to believe that this world is full of good people who aim to make 2018 better.

Looking back, I’d probably summarize 2017 as bittersweet. It’s a strange feeling to recognize being both happy and sad, and even more strange to be relatively OK with it. I met someone that became really special to me, and I did not expect that I would end 2017 not knowing if that person would be in my life going into the new year. At first I struggled with writing a year in review at all, or including him in it, but this blog is first and foremost my journal and scrapbook, and cherry picking memories is not my style. And regardless if our time is done,  those memories are still very special to me.

Around mid-December, I was sitting at CVS waiting to get my flu shot and was flipping through a GQ magazine and stopped at an interview with Senator John McCain. Regardless of whether you agree with his politics or not, in my mind its pretty hard to not acknowledge or respect that he has seen a fair amount of adversity in his lifetime. With that in mind, the very last statement really struck me:

No matter what 2017 held or what is yet to come in 2018, I hope that we can all benefit from walking through life with that attitude. I know I am going to try.

Now let’s look back at my busy year…

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In 2017, I traveled to 2 countries and 6 states (and two of them twice!)…

In February, I went on a trip of a lifetime to Bangkok, Thailand, and Manila, Philippines. The first half of my trip was a work trip to accompany three U.S. wheat farmers on a board team experience. The second half of the trip was spent on vacation in Bangkok and Phuket with my grandparents and Great Aunt Diane.  Find all of my posts about the trip HERE.

That trip won the year when it came to travel, but it wasn’t my only one. In April, Sam and I went down to Blacksburg to visit my friend Chelsea for the Virginia Tech spring game. In May, I went to Estes Park, Colorado for my work World Staff Conference. I invited my Mom to join me for the week and we spent a few extra days hiking and enjoying quick visits with friends. In June, I traveled to Manhattan, Kansas for the National Festival of Bread and squeezed in some friend time again. At the beginning of July, I made the short drive over to Annapolis, Maryland (for the first time!) for my work summer board meeting. Sam joined me a day before the meeting and we explored the downtown area. At the end of July, I attended the Agriculture Media Summit in Snowbird, Utah. In August, I went home to Oregon and finally took my best friend Megan with me to show her where I grew up. Next, I traveled to Kansas City, Missouri in November for the AFA Alliance Forum and the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Trade Talk event. In between the two events, I spent a few days down in Wichita, Kansas to visit Megan. Finally, I rounded out the year in December with a trip home to Oregon for Christmas.

Estes Park, CO with Mom
Estes Park, CO with Mom
Kansas wheat harvest
Downtown Annapolis
The summit at Snowbird, UT
My family at the Farm City Pro Rodeo
With Megan at the Farm City Pro Rodeo
My family’s dog Jack
Speaking to college seniors at AFA Leaders Conference
Visiting Megan in Wichita
Visiting Megan (and Ned and Luna) in Wichita
At my family’s cabin near Sumpter, OR
With Sam in Annapolis
With my sister Janci and cousin Sawyer

In 2017, I continued to work in a job that gives me purpose…

In March, I celebrated two years with U.S. Wheat Associates and was promoted to Assistant Director of Communications in July. My goal has always been to work in a job I love, that challenges me and pushes me to become a better communicator, and to use those skills working for farmers. Thankfully, all of that continues to ring true for me.

Board Meeting
Job Promotion
With Leonard, a wheat farmer and retiring board member
Some of our staff at the summer board meeting
Work field trip to a local bakery
My new standing desk
Booth set up at NAFB Trade Talk
With the board team in Portland, OR
Kansas wheat harvest

In 2017, my family welcomed Sawyer June…

After 23 years, my sister and I finally have an Ego cousin! Sawyer June joined our family on July 13 and its safe to say that she has stole the spotlight. Shortly, after she was born I wrote her this love letter. Oh, and #sorrynosorry that she has taken over my Instagram…

In 2017, my Grammy and Grampy visited me in Washington, D.C…

In October, my grandparents came for four days to visit me and experience Washington, D.C. They were actually the ones who helped move from Kansas to D.C. almost three years ago now (what!?) but we didn’t have the time for any site-seeing. I have a really special relationship with my grandparents so I was so excited to finally share my current home with them.

In 2017, I learned that adult friendships are hard, but so very important…

I think that one of the hardest things about being a 20-something is friendship. Everyone’s lives are so busy and usually full of change, and while I think that is awesome, it tends to take a toll. It is hard to be there for that college friend who now lives across the country instead of down the hallway, and while you might have so many great memories with childhood friends, it can be hard to connect with them when you are no longer in the same stage of life. And then there is the challenge of attempting to make new adult friends, which I swear is equal to the ups and downs of dating 🙂 But I’ve learned this year especially, that friendship requires a whole lot of grace. Some people are in your life for only a season, and that’s OK. And some people are in for the long haul, but sometimes they’ll have more to give and sometimes they’ll need more from you. I am thankful for both types of friends in 2017, who filled my days with fun memories and were supportive, sometimes when I least expected it.

Blazers vs. Wizards with Elizabeth
Cinco de Mayo
Hiking at Great Falls
Fireworks at Mount Vernon
Red, White and Brew Beer Festival
4th of July
With Megan at my family’s cabin
With Emily at the Chris Stapleton concert
President Inauguration
Brunch
Brunch with Zech in KC
College friends turned colleagues

In 2017, I filled my days with celebrations, new experiences, things that I love and both big and small moments worth remembering…

Presidential Inauguration
Ellie.
National Ag Day with Nicole
Sugar Mountain Winery
Beth, ag teacher-turned friend in town with students for FFA’s Washington Leadership Conference
Callie Elizabeth, born Dec. 13
Meeting Aaron Watson after his concert
Ag professionals in DC talking to visiting AFA students
Eastern Market
Washington Nationals in June.
Potomac River from the Key Bridge
Potomac River from the Key Bridge
Day trip to National Harbor with Sam
Day trip to National Harbor with Sam
Visiting the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial for the first time
Sam.
Fall colors
Turnpike Troubadours concert with Sam
Watching the Washington Nationals in May with Sam.

Peace out 2017, here’s to believing the best is yet to come in 2018.

P.S. Because I always include music at the end of my Year in Review posts… and because my love for Ed Sheeran knows no limits 🙂

Year in Review

Summer 2017: Top 10

Amanda

I saw another blogger post an “end of summer recap” and I thought it would be fun to do the same.

I know we still have a couple of weeks before summer is officially over. But the temperature dropped just a bit over the past few days (not that I’m too naive to think it won’t go back up again) and Labor Day weekend and the start of the school year has always been my marker for the season change.

This summer, like usual was BUSY, but certainly one that I want to remember. So here is a quick round up of my top 10 from this summer (in not particular order of course)!

1. Work trips

Don’t get me wrong, having lots of work trips in the summer can be pretty tiring, but I am always thankful for the opportunity to travel and visit both new and familiar places. This summer I had 3 major work trips. In June, I traveled to Manhattan, KS,(only one of my favorite places there is!) for the National Festival of Breads and the start of Kansas wheat harvest.

In July, our summer board meeting was in nearby Annapolis, MD. It was nice to not have to jump on a plane this time around! Annapolis has been toward the top of my list to visit since moving out here (it’s only about an hour away) and work finally helped make it happen.

Finally, at the end of July, I made a quick trip out to Snowbird, UT, for the annual Ag Media Summit.

2. Finally taking Megan to Oregon

The next two DEFINITELY get their own spots on the list.

We’ve been best friends almost since the day we met 8 years ago, so I was so excited that I FINALLY got to take her home to Oregon with me to see what all of the fuss is about. We had a VERY busy week, but we were able to just really enjoy what our friendship has become.

3. Vacation home to Oregon

Besides my time with Megan, I was really overdue for some family time. I meet and know lots of great people with my job and living where I do, but sometimes you just need time with “your people,” spent away from the big city.

(Part 1 of my recap home)
(Part 2 of my recap home)

4. Welcoming Sawyer June

Miss Sawyer June joined our family this summer on July 13, and its safe to say that she has been everyone’s favorite part of the summer.

5. 4th of July festivities

Not only is the 4th of July my favorite holiday, but I happen to live in the best place to celebrate it! I mean, not everyone gets to watch fireworks while relaxing in George Washington’s back yard! This year’s 4-day weekend was full of friends that included brunch, a BBQ, a beer festival and lots of fireworks.

6. Girl Time

This picture is actually from back in May, but it’s my favorite and it shows the most of us. This group of girls has become a highlight of not only my summer, but my year. We started out in bible study together, but have also had a lot of fun this summer whether it was hiking, visiting wineries, happy hour, celebrating the 4th or a girls night in.

In some ways we are all so different, but I think we all realize how important having girlfriends to share with is. Two of the girls just moved away and we sure are going to miss them!

7. Chris Stapleton concert

F.I.N.A.L.L.Y.

Even in the pouring rain, he was SO GOOD LIVE.

If you are a fan at all, I would highly recommend seeing him live.

8. Lazy days

Though I thrive off of being busy, more and more this year I have really learned to appreciate lazy days and time to myself. Some of my favorite moments this summer were pretty laid back, whether that meant an entire afternoon doing nothing but reading a book, visiting the farmer’s market or going on a long walk through this beautiful city.



9. Promotion at work

I share often that I love my job, and so it was nice to be recognized for the progress I’ve made.

10. Spending time with this guy

This guy is quickly becoming my favorite person to spend time with. We both had pretty busy schedules throughout the summer, but we tried to make the most out of the free time we had.

Some of our adventures included Sugarloaf Mountain Winery, playing with his pup Bella, Nationals baseball games, exploring Annapolis, MD and eating crabs, visiting the National Harbor, trying new places to eat and a rather comical afternoon searching for a place to fix his phone.

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Dear Fall, you know I love you the most, but summer 2017 wasn’t too shabby.
Please take notes.

Cheers!

Love Letters

Love Letter: To Those With Hometown Roots and Wandering Souls

Amanda

To those with hometown roots and wandering souls, this love letter is for you.

At my family’s cabin “The Diggins” in the Blue Mountains near Sumpter, OR. This post has a sign for every town that each of our family members are from. Mine is by far the furthest.

It’s been 8 years since I packed up my 18-year-old self and left Eastern Oregon for college in Kansas. And its been a little over 2.5 years since I packed up again and moved to Washington D.C.

I was visiting home last week and spent a little time with some family friends who have a daughter interested in attending K-State next year, so I answered all of their questions and shared a lot about my (awesome) experience. Toward the end, the mother asked if there was anything that I regretted. I said that I regretted never going on a study abroad trip and that I should have gotten season football tickets my freshman year, but no, overall I did not regret anything (well maybe a few nights in Aggieville that I wouldn’t mind forgetting.)

But leaving Eastern Oregon to attend Kansas State was the best decision I ever made.

Maybe it was because of our conversation, or maybe it was because I was home at my county fair, but it really made me reflect a bit on that decision and where it has led me. Over the years I have always had a small army of steadfast support, but there are still things I wrestle with. I hang on to a bit of guilt that there things that I inevitably miss out on and that maintaining relationships from a far takes a bit of extra work. It’s hard to be in an unfamiliar place where you don’t know anyone and constantly have to put yourself out there. And I still get questions from people who innocently just don’t get it.

It also made me think about other small town kids with the itch to wander.

I want them to know that having hometown roots and a wandering soul is possible.

I love my hometown. It’s a place where family businesses still reign and people give you the 2-finger steering wheel wave when you pass them on the road. It’s a place where teachers have taught multiple generations of students and where the community revolves around the high school sports schedule.  No matter how long I am away, there are Eastern Oregon sights, sounds, tastes and smells that are ingrained in my memory. Of course I miss it. It’s where my family is and will always be my home. But the world is a big, exciting place and if you are naturally curious like me, to not explore and experience it would be a crime. It’s hard to imagine that some of the people closest to me and some of my best memories wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t taken that leap of faith.

So to those with hometown roots and wandering souls, I want you to know…

You will cry more than you ever want to admit and you will want to give up many times. But you will eventually learn that that’s all OK. You are lucky to have people and places to miss and there is no shame in feeling sad or defeated from time to time. It reminds you that you are human.

Sometimes saying yes or no to things that come your way will be as easy as breathing and other times you will feel overwhelmed and challenged. Sometimes you are going to make the wrong decision, which you can always learn from, and sometimes it will take much longer than expected to reap the rewards of making the right decisions. And sometimes there is no right or wrong decision, so just choose one path and give it your honest best.

You are much braver and more resilient than you think.

You will be too much for some people. Those aren’t your people. Some of your people will be unexpected and some of your people will let you down. This is where you learn the art of giving and receiving grace. But I truly believe that you can meet great people wherever you go and that the further you wander the more interesting characters will fill your story and expose you to new things.

Sometimes you will embrace change and sometimes you’ll approach it kicking and screaming. Either way, it is inevitable, so rub some dirt on it and and figure out how you can respect the memories you have and find the positive in what is to come, because in my mind, the best is always yet to come.

As Logan Mize sings below, “You can lose a lot of things, but it’s hard to lose a hometown. Some things are bound to change but the sun still goes down just the same…”

Trust me, he’s right.

You will learn that you need to be more intentional and mindful of your words and time. You will also learn that a home and happiness are a state of mind that ultimately are up to you. Remember to respect that everyone is moving at their own pace and in their own direction, so what works you, might not work for them.

You will have a blast. I’m not saying that you can’t build an awesome life without ever wandering but exploring the world opens you up to new sights, sounds, tastes and smells that you can add alongside the hometown ones in your memory bank.

And most importantly, you can always come back home and the people who love you unconditionally will be there waiting for you.

Love, Amanda

katy

Year in Review

{2016} My Year in Review

Amanda

Over lunch earlier this week, I had intended to throw together a different blog post, but discovered that somehow I had written my 2016 year in review post and then completely FORGOT to publish live. So here I am (on a plane to Thailand!!!) tweaking my introduction because posting it a MONTH LATE probably is going to get me some eye rolls.

Some people might say that is reflective of how 2016 went, but I do not necessarily share that sentiment. Believe me — there some parts of 2016 that just flat out sucked, but there is no way I can look through this post and label 2016 negatively.

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Early in 2016, I stumbled across the image and words above while scrolling through Instagram. It struck me as an odd phrase, but I somewhat absentmindedly took a screenshot and saved it to my phone.

“…stay in your magic?”

What does that mean?

It is easy to be caught up in the world around us. The way we spend our time and who spend with it obviously have a huge influence on our decisions and beliefs, and for the most part I think it is a positive thing to constantly be challenged. However, I think what the above phrase is saying, is that “your magic” is our core. It is our quirks that override trying to fit in, beliefs that cannot be swayed by other’s reasoning, thoughts we keep to ourselves, a sense of home and being grounded. My life continues to be filled with rewarding challenges, great adventures and even greater people, but as I navigated through 2016, these words came back to me again and again. They made me slow down and steady myself a bit more than the stubborn, quicker pace that I usually move at. I would like to think that it has made me strive to be a better person and to better appreciate what makes others unique.

It certainly was an interesting year, and I am glad I got to tag along for the ride.

In 2016, I traveled, because, you know sitting around at home really is for suckers.

I know I said this at a dozen times throughout 2016, but really, I AM SO LUCKY, that I have a job that allows me to travel, both for work and for fun. There were only two months out of the year (February and August) that I did not leave DC at all. Many of those were shorter weekend trips but when you lay it out like that it really adds up! Much like the previous year, my summer in DC sped by because over the course of six weeks I only was there for 10 days.

I traveled home to Oregon THREE TIMES! I don’t think I have technically done that EVER since I moved out for college eight years ago. In January (shortly after I had been home for Christmas), work took me to Portland for a few days and I was able to sneak home for the weekend to celebrate my best friend’s baby shower. In July, I was back for over a week to spend some quality time at my family’s cabin and to celebrate my Uncle’s Josh wedding. Then in December, I returned for a long holiday vacation and enjoyed my parent’s new house and farm.

Work took me back to my beloved Kansas in May where I was sidestepping tornadoes, sharing wheat quality with overseas customers and squeezing in as much time with friends as I could. In July work also took me to Fargo, ND (a new state for me!) for a board meeting, and to St. Louis, MO, for the annual Ag Media Summit. The big surprise from work came from the late decision to have me tag along on a conference that my organization was hosted in Guam in October!

My weekend trips included two trips to Blacksburg, VA, in April and September, to visit my friend Chelsea and watch some VTech football (aka relive my college tailgating days), a day trip to Morgantown, WV, in September, to watch K-State football play WVU and a quick trip over to Baltimore in June, when another K-State friend was passing through. Two of my favorite weekends were spent on an epic girls weekend to NYC with my best friend Megan in April, and returning to Kansas City in November, for the AFA Leaders Conference and Alliance Forum, and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of an organization that I love dearly.

In 2016, I grew a lot at work and continued to love the industry and people that I work.

I celebrated my one year anniversary and took on more responsibilities. Everyday I learned more and more about the wheat industry, took on new challenges and even survived a few growing pains. It also became more apparent how lucky I am to have a boss and co-workers that support me both personally and professionally. They are a team who genuinely love the work that they do, and I have found that when challenges arise, I am very grateful for their attitudes and guidance.

In 2016, I celebrated new life and became a new surrogate Auntie to two adorable babies.

A year or two ago I think it would be safe to say that this season of change was a bit overwhelming, but in 2016 I fully embraced it. Two of my best friends became mamas and I was overjoyed to see them start their families and am honored that even though I live far away, they want me in their baby’s lives as much as possible. Richole and Dustin welcomed Wesley Ray on Mar. 4, and Leah and Ryan welcomed Robin Michele on Apr. 4. (Thank goodness that is going to be easy to remember!) My work and personal travel allowed me to visit both of them twice, and I got in all of the baby snuggles that I could.

In 2016, I had more new visitors to DC.

After spending my first year and half with a roommate, I decided I wanted to go back to living on my own. Of course the timing of it had to be difficult with a week-long work trip and a few big project deadlines all right before the start and end of my leases. So my wonderful Mom made a last minute trip to visit and help with the move. I honestly couldn’t have done it without her! We also managed to fit in just a little bit of “fun,” including walking and sitting in the pouring rain because we were determined to see the Memorial Day concert of the U.S. Capitol West Lawn.

One of my biggest highlights of the year was having my best friends and college roommates visit DC. Megan and Kyla, and Kyla’s husband Nathan (a veteran when it comes to dealing with the three of us girls together on his own), have practically been planning for this trip since I first moved to DC. I had a blast sharing my new home with these guys and we definitely made the most of it!

In 2016, I really branched out and made new friends.

It is no secret that I am pretty outgoing, but in spite of that, I have always taken a bit longer to make friends. It is something that used to bother me quite a bit, but overtime I have learned to be better at embracing that it is a part of what makes me, well me. As DC started to really feel like a home, 2016 became all about putting myself out there a bit more and making new friends.

In 2016, a lot of the small moments, stand out as big ones…

I survived #WinterStormJonas, 2 feet of snow and a city completely shutting down.
I gained an aunt (but really a sister) in Sonia.
I celebrated turning 26, and am a-okay will being closer to 30 than 21.
I cheered on my Wildcats on lazy fall Saturday watch parties.
I became a Lifetime Member of the AFA Alliance.
I went on my first East Coast hike, and know that it will not be my last.
I was thankful for technology so I could watch my sister graduate college even though I couldn’t be there in person.

Out to clean off my car in between white outs
No we did not build this snowman
Met up with my friend Kylie for brunch

I enjoyed doing things I love by decorating my new apartment, a few crafts and a few live concerts.
I developed plantar fasciitis in my foot and will forever regret buying shoes just because they are cute
I had a great stay-cation over Labor Day weekend with a visit from my friend Nicole to DC.
I took the holiday season by storm with multiple Friendsgivings and holiday parties.
I found a church home and community in NCC.

I took way too many A LOT of pictures out and about exploring DC.

And while I certainly enjoyed getting to know those new friends, I also embraced the old ones that have stuck around and continue to enrich my life.

Oh 2016, you really weren’t all that bad. But I am looking forward to what in store for me in 2017.

Cheers.

Thoughts and Lessons Learned

Be Still.

Amanda

I will forever be perplexed by how so many great and wonderful things in life can coexist with things that are hard and confusing.
I realize that is what part of what grace is, but on the day-to-day, I often have to tell myself out loud to slow down and breath.

I have been really missing this view lately.
I always think of these words when I think about “my mountains.”

‘The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still’ -Exodus 14:14

Sumpter Valley.

Sumpter Valley.

My very favorite view.

Yesterday, spring started to show itself again so I decided to end my day with a long run and a few other views that have won me over.
It is not the same, but I certainly do not take for granted where I live.
I know there are many people who will not ever get to travel to our nation’s capital. Or they will, maybe once as a tourist, but will never take the time to relax and enjoy a lazy evening on the Mall. They will not become familiar with it like it is their own backyard.

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And like the mountains do for me, I know a lot of people look upon these views for strength and steadiness.
I guess what I am saying is that it is important to remember that it is indeed possible to “only to be still” anywhere I am.

It is a frame of mind, not a place.