"We turn not older with years, but newer every day." -Emily Dickinson

So. Today is my last day as a 23 year old and, as I look back on this past year, I realize that this was a huge year for me. I became a new Rachel, a happy Rachel. Let's start from the beginning: on this weekend last year, I had flown up to New Jersey to spend a few days with my dad while he was there for work. I was able to explore some of NJ, all of Philadelphia, spent my actual birthday in New York, saw The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, explored DC, saw Baltimore, all in the company of my awesome dad. I was finally able see more of this country and explore new cities. My need to travel was satiated in a small way, but I had no idea, how much more I was going to be able to scratch that itch. Also at that time, I had begun to really lose some weight. When I flew up, I had lost about 20 pounds, so when I got back, I really kicked it into high gear.

I began my first nanny job about a month later and gained so much experience in childcare, a job that I truly believe was placed in my life in order to prepare me for this new job. I spent the entire Summer losing weight, playing with those awesome kids, hanging out with friends, exercising, just having fun and becoming more and more healthy. In August, I was able to share in the joy of my brother's wedding and marriage with a wonderful woman. By the time the Fall rolled around, I had lost the majority of the weight. Also at this time of the year, I gained several new friends that I now cannot imagine not having in my life. Of course, Ashley had come back into my life after another Summer spent on the island in Michigan, which made my life more complete :)

During all of this, I'd become a different person. I've always been me, but I am now more myself than ever before. I'm now a version of myself that I never knew existed until this year. I didn't know that I could be so positive, so healthy, so happy! All of this led to my decision to move across the country. Before all of this, I would never have even considered looking into something like this. The thought would have never even entered my mind, but as the old job was coming to an end, I thought to myself, "I don't have to find another job in this area, I don't have to continue this current life." So I did something about it. I changed my stars (yes, that's from "A Knight's Tale").

I've already talked about the trip out here, but I have to mention again the fact that I got to see so much of the country. I saw Texas, Arizona, the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, California, the Pacific Ocean...Not only have I seen California, but I now live here. I live in California! Saying it doesn't get old...I'm living somewhere different, living a new lifestyle, meeting new people, living with a precious family who has welcomed me into their home with open arms, and helping them in so many ways. I'm still amazed, quite frankly.

It would be easy to say that so much happened to me this year, but I feel like I deserve more credit than that. I MADE all of this happen. I didn't accomplish any of this by sitting around waiting and hoping for something good to happen to me, I got up off of my lazy bum and made changes. I am the one who lost the weight, I am the one who put myself out there to make new friends, I am the one who had the courage to seek out a job that was far from home, and I am the one who decided to pack up and move to the opposite coast. Of course, all of this was already in The Plan from the beginning, I just had to wait until He felt that I was ready to make such drastic changes in my life. I can't believe that this all occurred in one year, but I could not be happier with where I am in my life physically, mentally, emotionally, just in every single way.

So, I turn 24 years old tomorrow, which means I'm basically in my mid-twenties. That's really strange. I feel old, but I know that I'm not at all. I still have so much life ahead of me and I cannot wait to see what I can make happen in my 24th year <3