As much as we love to travel, we live pretty conservative lives in Colorado and aren’t big risk takers. I have a wide berth for my comfort level and it takes a lot to unnerve me but if I had a theme for 2016, it’s anxiety. Stress. The unknown. We were hit with some major financial decisions at the beginning of the year so not only are we poor but we’re unresolved. I’m hoping for some clarity soon but for now we’re living one step at a time in a world of grey (I guess that’s what faith is all about?)
Our engagement photo
One of my resolutions was to purge this house and get organized. Since so much of my life is spinning out of my control right now, that is at least something within my power and it has become a full-blown obsession. After Jamie’s sister moved out last week, I started by tackling my file cabinets, which contain 25+ years of junk…and treasured memories. From there, I moved onto our storage room and crawl space and resolved to get rid of anything I haven’t used within the last year (apart from mementos, of course). I’m really not a hoarder but it’s amazing how much you can collect after living in your house for 12 years.
I won’t give you a visual of my parent’s basement–they’ve lived there for 45+ years.
Jamie volunteered to go winter camping with the Scouts this weekend. In the mountains. In a snow storm. I’m all for the outdoors but this is deal-breaker for even me. We have two different sections in our storage room: one for food and the other for travel/camping supplies. We tackled the latter last night to find our warmest sleeping bags and pads for Jamie, during which time he casually mentioned.
“It’s really weird that I have no idea what happened to my wedding ring.”
“You lost your wedding ring?”
“Yes, it’s been gone since we camped in Moab last May. I told you that.”
“You didn’t tell me that.”
“Yes, I did. And how have you not even noticed I wasn’t wearing my ring?”
Evidence that I am the least observant person. EVER.
“When did you last have it?”
“I took it off when we were camping and put it somewhere for safe keeping. It’s bugging me so much I can’t find it.”
The conversation ended as we continued organizing the camping gear. Not even 15 minutes later, I grabbed a laundry basket that contained miscellaneous items and wouldn’t you know it, at the very bottom we found his ring. He must have stashed it in one of the stuff sacks and then it got tossed into the storage room.
We’re calling this one a mini-miracle in a 2016 that is starting out as quite the opposite.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 