Two and a half days till the start of a new year and I'd be lying if I said I was fine about starting a new year in Louisiana. If you would've asked me six months ago if I thought we'd still be here come January 1st, I would've said,"Hell no!" A ball got rolling that had been stuck deep in the muck around mid year. It started full speed and I tell you what, if you didn't duck and roll out of the way, it would've steam rolled you. Then somewhere along the way Louisiana's energy started fighting back. Holding us tightly. No, strangling us. Between the financial crisis we have been in for the last two years, the house throwing temper tantrums at our exiting, and the ways I and people all around us have brilliantly imploded, the momentum slowed.

The lessons through all of these failings has shown me just how determined I am to get our family out of here. Some would think it was a sign that we shouldn't be leaving, but we aren't even here anymore. Our house isn't ours. It's opening for it's next owners, kicking us in the ass on out on the way. It's a weird place to be. The twilight zone. Are we here or are we there? Are we even living in the liminal spaces? Or are we just gasping for air and hoping there is enough space on the door for all of us to fit?

2016 has been hard. I don't need to say that. You all know. But for as hard as it's been, I am grateful for it. Had it been just like any other year here, there would be no forward motion, no push to finally leap out of the little bit of comfort we have here and strive towards a life we all really thrive in. Do I regret moving to Louisiana? No. Not one bit. I cannot even begin to imagine who I would be today had we stayed in California, never leaving everything we have ever known.

Thank you 2016, for showing me just how strong I can be. Without you, I'd still be floating away.