Over the past year the world has continued to evolve. Hunger still exists, the sun still rises every morning. The waves continue to crash upon the sand while my heart continues to beat. Life is given and taken away without fail. It was yet again a year of crime and war, celebration and hope. It was a year of history. For me it was a year of big dreams. Dreams much too big for one girl to achieve, but dreams never-the-less. 2008 has been a year of searching my heart and trying to understand what my purpose on this earth is. I find myself trying to balance my aspirations with reality and finding a formula to get a solution. The truth is that I haven’t found an equation that solves my purpose; rather 2008 has been a year of guess and check. I’m discovering that it may be a life time of guess and check- making mistakes and trying again. I’m realizing that I’m thankful for the people in my life that are forgiving & patient and see a hope in me that I’m being refined.
Life always brings us reminders- whether we desire it or not there are always little alarms that go off and bring us back to reality.

One reality that I’ve not escaped in this world is that my very life- the means of my existence on this earth is not a given, rather a gift. I am not promised one more day at any point, yet I wake to the sunrise and a new beginning over and over again. I cannot explain why some lives are taken and I’m repetitively given another chance; yet the statement that comes with each sunrise is that I’m here each day for a purpose. I know little Miss Molly Hovis had a purpose- she was a mighty little girl that only had 84 days on this earth, yet made a big impact on this world & my heart. As I sat at her funeral on November 7th I learned of strength- a strength a three month old had found that I haven’t been able to accomplish in my 26 years on this earth. I was also reminded that this earth is not the end- that there is more & it took Molly a much shorter time to reach her purpose on this earth then it is taking myself. I was also reminded on this year that new beginnings are a gift on this earth when Chase & Deacon my newest family members joined the rest of us in this world. There has never been a closer thing to perfection on this side of earth then a brand new beginning, and the innocence of a newborn. As I watch every rise and fall of their chests as they took some of their first breaths in this world it is like a symphony has just been compiled. That is the definition of creation, by the perfect creator.

In September my world was divinely shaken. You see, I got a little complacent going about my path to remember that there is a world beyond my backyard. I started to think that my view and little corner on this earth was the big picture. That all changed at 2:30 am when I crossed a border, but this isn’t a figurative border, this one is very literal. It is the border that divides the United States and Mexico. This is the line that we can cross on any day of the year, yet it cannot be crossed from the other side. What sat on the other side of the perimeter shook my world. A very eerie silence was found in Juarez- a silence I knew right away couldn’t be good. I was only there for 3 days but what my ears heard and eyes witnessed in that time will be with me the rest of my life. Why is it that each person is assigned a place to exist on this earth & some have it so good, while others have it so rough? I guess the harder question is why do I in my perfect freedom in Lakewood Colorado have days where I feel deprived yet these people living in a war, locked in the safety of the walls have a passionate joy? I heard stories of people living in fear- fear that over 1,400 deaths had been tallied and that jobs were hard to find as people were afraid to go to work, fear that they could be a random victim or a name on a hit list- fear that I don’t know or understand yet they have a laughter as if they are in paradise. The smiles of these people stayed with me in my heart as I took my piece of paper with my name and picture and was “approved” to cross back over the boarder leaving behind some lives that could not come with me- because they were assigned to live in Juarez. This was a time in the past year that shook my life.

I look back to a good day. A really good day. I woke up early and headed to the mountains to live one of my favorite times of the year which comes and goes as quickly as the wind, but if caught can be breathtaking. I will forever keep with me the image of the aspen trees at their ripest moment. I was as close to streets of gold that I can get to for the time being. The same day took me galloping on the back of a horse through fields of fall colors. That was a day that I became a little bit closer to the idea of true freedom. That was a good day in 2008.

Weekdays are the most common days I lived in 2008. There is a 5/7 chance that it is a weekday- so it’s beneficial, I’ve learned, to make sure that I love where I spend my week days. I love my job. There are days that it got mundane, as any job can, but I know that one gift I have is my job. It isn’t the final product that is the most rewarding, although it is a good feeling to see a beautiful soccer field being utilized as two teams cross the lines to embark in the most successful sport in the world and watch the faces of an energetic crowd as they enter into the game from the sidelines- but the process that blesses me the most. Co-workers are no longer co-workers, but a family that is working towards the same goal, and uniting to bring something big to Denver. It is the days where we come together and see a bigger picture, such as a cool day in October when players and staff went a quarter of a mile up the street from the stadium to build a playground for the residential kids of Commerce City. It is days like that that when I can say I’m beginning to grasp the bigger picture. Not to mention my favorite work day of the year- staff soccer day! It helps that we won this year.

Sundays are something to remember. It is a day of the week that helps me to sit back & reflect. I can remember some good words that were spoken to me on Sundays. I have been fortunate to find a place to escape religion & find a church. Not a building- but a group of people who are just as broken as myself- looking for a better way to live. I was reminded this past year that the more I care for others the more fulfilling my life will be. I know for a fact that I’m blessed much deeper than I deserve. I guess that would mean that in the past year I’ve learned a little bit more about grace.

I went through some hardships as well as physical pain in 2008. I have had pain in my legs for a long time now and since my mind & heart are directly tied to my physical activity- when that very activity brings pain it can effect my whole being. It is in those moments you want to make sure you have people in your life that will sit beside you in the still moments. Pain brought for some hard days in 2008 but it made me remember that I am fortunate for my health. A wise person in my life once taught me “pain is a reminder that you are alive”. I’m thankful for that reminder.

Weddings were a big part of my 2008. Celebration. I can’t think of a more worthy cause to celebrate then love. To see my friends happy is an tremendous gift. I collected some good memories as I witnessed lives merge and commitments be made. One small miracle J was the day I received the news that I’ll have a new sister. My brother finally made leap and asked Chelsey if she’d be part of our family. One big thing to look forward to in 2009 is a big party celebrating it actually being official that she is one of the Wimmer’s. This brings a hope that with one more sister to assist us Shelly and I can finally beat up our big brother!


I had my share of fun in 2008. It started last January with an adventure of traveling in Costa Rica with Brooke. The adventures continued…Danskin triathlon, concerts, experiencing California through trips to Santa Barbara, Santa Ana, San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, putting on the Mile High Music Festival, enjoying the Rocky Mtns. via camping, hiking and snowboarding, visiting my roots in Oregon, learning to fish, having my family come visit me in Denver, attending Nuggets/Rockies/Avalanche/Rapids games, and of course plenty of soccer, Spanish and dancing.

"I've learned to live life to the fullest"

I have learned to love people. Not for what they can give to me, but for who they are. An easy lesson to learn is how fallible I am on this earth & how prone I am to make mistakes. I can have a perfect thing and turn it into a disaster & in those times I look to the people in my life that just love me. I know that I need people who can accept me & my mistakes and forgive me over and over. I have come to realize that the most valuable thing on this earth are the relationships in my life.

Here’s to looking ahead to the future. My journey will start out in unknown land. For those of you whom I haven’t spoken with yet I am leaving early January to start my 2009 in South America. One dream that I’ve had for a long time is to have the privilege of investing in lives through teaching. I have been working to get my license to teach English as a foreign language and have to support of the Colorado Rapids to launch a program called FutHabla where I can connect learning English and soccer. It is a work in progress and will be an adventurous journey, but I am joyful as it is a small dream of mine that is unfolding.

In 2009 my feet will wander many different paths and my eyes will witness many things. I am not guaranteed 358 more sunrises, but if given the chance I’d love to embrace each day. I will not live them perfectly and the number of bad days may outnumber the good days, but I will never forget that no matter what is before me that each day is numbered & I will give thanks and do my best to make the most of each day. I can’t guarantee that I won’t make mistakes, because I will. What I can promise is that I will take risks for the things that I believe in and the dreams that I have- because that is my purpose.

Please continue to join me on my journey of 2009 starting in South America…