The "2013 Year in Lists" articles have been littering my Feedly and social media timelines since late November. Lists of top health trends, top celebrity moments, best films, best books, best songs, most important political developments, prettiest robes worn by the Pope (seriously, he's on some kind of best-dressed list. Side note: I hope anybody running for president in 2016 has hired the pontiff's PR team, because that guy has done nothing more than HIS ACTUAL JOB AS A CHURCH LEADER AND MAN OF THE CLOTH but according to social media and Time Magazine, he's the second coming or pretty close. That's some very strategic work done by one hell of a PR team. Get on that, presidential candidates.)
So, do these lists mean anything to any of us? Probably not much, with the possible exception of political developments, but they do provide something to read while hanging in the waiting room before your dental cleaning. Still, the prolific list-making enhances the general mood of both retrospection and anticipation that accompanies a new year. What were our successes this year? Our failures? Things accomplished or left undone? Are these big things or small things? And in that regard, how do we define a defining moment?
During a recent conversation in which people were sharing news about job promotions, marriages, babies, graduations, anniversaries - the types of milestones by which so many measure the value of life - someone made a (well-intended, probably) comment to me about the fact that it was "okay" that none of these things, or anything really significant, occurred in my life this year.
Just sit with that for a second... took me a minute to get over the unintended condescension before I spoke.
No, readers, I didn't lose it. I was very polite in replying that the small adventures that made up the whole of my year were a thousand times better than the catalog of clichés that Hallmark makes cards for.
So, as it's Year in Lists time, here you go. The List of Small Adventures and Perfectly Imperfect Moments That Made Nadia's Year Actually Pretty Wonderful (in photos):
 |
| New Year Trip to Miami/Key West for Rick's Ragnar Race. Exploring Key West with E & M was amazing. We raised adventurers! |
 |
| Family Running. A fair number of 5k races, some blizzard running, a marathon relay, a Color Run, and the best race number ever (see bottom center pic). |
 |
| Eben Moments: driving, NHS, Rock Off, recording and playing out with his band, being adorable. |
 |
| Mad Moments: Winning Power of the Pen, finding field hockey ferocity, crossing a signed Neil Gaiman book off the bucket list, being adorable. |
 |
| LABELLE! |
 |
| Citizenship, conquering the rock band mom life, time spent with cousins between summers, dressing up with my favorite fella to celebrate a milestone at my school (and the culmination of a huge project for me). |
 |
| Whole Life Challenge, Beard Adventures, first college visit with the boy, two kiddos going to Homecoming, some good CLE fun (Captain America filming!) |
 |
| Friend visits. 2013 saw a lot of old friend love. We're hoping for more in 2014. |
...and I knitted three scarves. The end.
