2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: I’M FEELING ’22

Starting off the New Year with so many updates, but let’s do a review of 2022 (shall we?)! I have been pretty tight lipped this past year because there was just too much up in the air and life in general (including some people and relationships) were feeling extra delicate. Not wanting to cause any unnecessary drama (don’t get me started on 2021), discreetness seemed like the best option. Now that things have come full circle, I’m feeling like it’s safe to spill the beans, so here goes!

2022 IN A NUTSHELL (IT WAS A DOOZY):

• JANUARY / HOW IT STARTED (for Johan): Depressed and still in shock. After almost two years of working tirelessly on the frontlines, and overtime at testing sites, etc., wearing allllll the PPE, and working through the craziness during the pandemic, Johan had lost his job as a Firefighter when his department decided to follow the vaccine mandates in our state (most departments didn’t). The fallout was brutal and involved a lot of loss and his mentals (as our friend calls them) were no bueno.
• JANUARY / HOW IT STARTED (for me): LFG was my motto of choice, and my businesses were doing well, but I was tiiiired. The heartache, disappointment, and stagnancy in our home was overwhelming and it was exhausting trying to combat it everyday. However (there is a silver lining), when you realize you can’t control your husband, the political climate, or the world, there’s only one thing left to do… invest in yourself! So I spent loads of time reading/listening to books and podcasts, and also started taking group workout classes (religiously) which became an absolute lifeline. There were LOTS of cleansing tears cried during the hour and a half I’d leave the house. It was like therapy with the added benefit of medicine ball slams. The strength, endurance, detoxing, and confidence I was gaining in class, I could see (and feel) in my day-to-day life, and a year later can say that my investment has had massive returns. Not sure how well I would have survived 2022 without it.
• FEBRUARY to MAY / LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: Not much progress on the job front for Johan, but he starts therapy and we start thinking about moving. Partially because we could and partially because we were hurting and craved a change of scenery… ya know!? Nashville becomes our obvious relocation choice since we love it so much, it’s away from the gloom but still affordable, and my business partner and friend lives there which would be helpful. Eager about the idea, we flew the fam to Nash so the kids could get excited, too!
• JUNE / THE BEST YES: Ozzie and a couple of his college friends move in to our already packed house for the summer, bring all the good vibes with them, and quickly become like family. One of the best (kinda intimidating) yeses we’ve said in a longtime! Johan get’s offered a job working with one of his best friends, with the possibility of opening an office in NASHVILLE! Woot! More reasons to move and less pressure on me (win-win). Love it. So excited! THINGS ARE LOOKING UPPPPP!
• JULY / CURB APPEAL + COWBOY BOOTS: We start prepping the house to sell, paint the exterior, start fixing up the yard, and get rid of anything we didn’t want to move across the country (offer up was our bestie).
• AUGUST / PLOT TWIST: It’s time to move, but then the person (ME) that never looks at the finances and accounts (PTSD from being a single mom) decides I should be in the know and didn’t like what I saw, which take full responsibility for. Ignorance is not bliss, especially when it comes to money. So we got in a big fight (just being honest) and begrudgingly decide to stay put… We weren’t losing a career and the ability to buy a home all in the same year. In doing so, we officially ruined Tilly’s life for the second time (the first time was ironically when we decided to move), and had a lot of BIG feelings to sort through. Take my word for it, you can 100000% be so thankful to be staying (mostly for the people) and so bummed you’re not leaving, all at the same time. Ugh.
• SEPTEMBER / 3 THINGS: Still sorting out such a big change, but 3 things happen that make me feel like we made the right decision: 1. My brother who is on the spectrum and mostly independent, needed a little extra support and starts coming to our home on Saturdays or Sundays and sometimes overnight, too. 2. A lateral firefighting job opened up with a nearby department and Johan decided to apply, and 3. Things with OILYAY and The Club, become more stagnant.
• OCTOBER / RECONCILIATION: Johan is offered his job back and he decides to take it. OMG (I did not think he’d say yes). The process is stressful and requires working through a lot of emotions but there’s healing, fresh perspectives, and reconciliation that comes with it. God is good.
• NOVEMBER / FULL SPEED AHEAD: All is right in the world. Johan starts taking as much overtime as possible while also working part time at his logistics job. Kendra and I decide to close OILYAY which was a bit of a shock, but we either needed to make a big push to expand or do what we could to maintain. Since neither of us felt like we had the threshold to expand, and “maintaining” isn’t really in our DNA, we decided to close. So sad to say goodbye but so excited for what’s next… Just don’t know what that is yet, lol.
• DECEMBER / CHANGE IS SCARY BUT SO IS STAYING THE SAME: With a much busier schedule and me carrying 95% of the load at home, we decide to end our homeschooling journey and enroll Griffin and Poppy in school after break. Bittersweet for sure, but also the right decision. Other than that, Christmas was amazing, New Year’s Eve was interesting, and I probably could have used a few days to myself after all the festivities were over. Guessing you can relate!? WHAT A YEAR!

Not mentioned above was a lot of bing watching shows, questioning my relationship with alcohol (am I enjoying it or using it to checkout?), getting so mad at my husband that I broke one of our “rules of engagement” (no name calling, no swearing, no threatening divorce — very vanilla but it works!) for the first time in 17 years (he deserved it and forgave me, but I felt awful for weeks), and learning that life circumstances can bing out the best and the worst in you. Often in the same week. Just sharing so you don’t think I was always on my best behavior.

2022 was a rollercoaster that I’m thankful for, but also ready to get off of. Headed into 2023 with more resolve, a refined perspective, and a heart that is ready to serve more and love bigger. I’ll write more about the year ahead later.

Can’t wrap up this recap without mentioning our family and friends that supported and loved on us and our kids this past year. A good year would be sad without them, but a bad year without them would’ve been unbearable. Forever grateful for their grace and presence. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!

xx, Rae

P.S. – Pics are from our mini post Christmas trip to the beach with Johan’s Sister and Brother-in-law, which was such a great way to end the year! (Love you guys… where are we going next!?)