“There are years that ask questions, and years that answer.” – Zora Neale Hurston

You know, if I apply this philosophy while looking over 2013, I’m thinking this was a year that posed the questions. In all, it’s been a good year…with some tough spots sprinkled here and there.

We’ve had our adventures, filled with laughter, love and fun. We’ve visited some new places, but rang in 2013 with an old favorite.

^ A few days later, we visited a new hospital in Southern Illinois — home to almost two dozen of my nature photos.

Closer to home, we had snow…and the building of snow people.

As well as rainbows…and beautiful things along my runs.

We had a visit from a special guest, taking us to the Butterfly House and the Orchid Show at the Botanical Garden.

^ My first race of the year was a green one…and my first Easter Egg Hunt in years was a fun time spent with Tanner, my budding photographer.

^ Our annual Mother’s Day local adventure….followed shortly by a not-so-local adventure to San Antonio. And somewhere in between, one of the year’s unanswerable questions presented itself when my youngest son was diagnosed with the same disease as his older brother.

We volunteered for a children’s bereavement camp…and had a very special house guest.

We closed out the summer with a trip to Chicago…and visited a beautiful balloon glow closer to home.

My kids ran their first 5K…and we made our first visit to a pumpkin patch.

I ran my second half marathon…but my first that I ran in honor of my kids.

^ Big brother qualified for Boston!

And we experienced the most brilliant and beautiful Fall that any of us can remember.

A repeat visit to my favorite spiritual place…
…and a repeat visit to one of our favorite road trip destinations in celebration of…

…a very special 21st birthday.

We ran our first family Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving…

…followed shortly by Drew’s first 15K.

We experienced Christmas concerts and Christmas lights.

It probably seems a bit premature to reflect on a year that hasn’t completely come to a close, but it’s never to late – or too early — for a new beginning.
And I’m ready to hit the refresh button.
I have a lot of questions — some that will never be answered and some that can only be answered by me. I’m looking forward to finding a few of those answers in 2014.

Past year-end reviews: 2012 and 2010. I have no idea what happened to 2011?