I’m not sure just where 2023 went. It was a very fast year for me. Wait. I think I said that last year. And maybe the year before. Is it okay to say it again? Maybe I could get creative. Let’s try this beginning again.

Hello! Do you happen to know where 2023 went? I was looking for it and something whirled by but it went so fast I’m not sure if it was a tornado, a runaway horse, or 2023.

Was that any better? *clears throat* Anyway, let’s take a look at my goals for last year and see how I did.

• Finish and publish Kate & Kylie – √ I did! It’s published under Wherever He Leads
• Write and publish one or two new Christmas Collection stories – √ I published one Christmas in the Same Country
• Publish Finding Home (novella) – √ Sure did. You can find it HERE
• Publish Tidings Bringing (novella) – Another book published. Read about it HERE.
• Hopefully write another Christmas story – √√ Uh, was this supposed to be a Christmas play story for church, or one for the Christmas cards? I did both.
• Hopefully write Katie Wood (praying for an idea) – Nope. I didn’t even get it started.
• Run and participate in 3 KDWCs – √√√ Yes! Had 3 great camps and set new records for how many words I got written in a month, and how many people we had at camp.
• Host another Read Another Page Reading Challenge – √ I did, and it went well. At least I enjoyed getting some more books read. I hope the others enjoyed it too.
• Work one election – √ We were told there might be another one, but there wasn’t.
• Teaching a crash course on essay writing – √ That was fun.

Not bad. Nine out of ten things done! I think that’s really good. Feels like I managed to do some things in the midst of a whirling year.

But what was my writing like? (Last year I ended with 249,961 words.)

January: 21,368
February: 10,299
March: 51,758
April: 12,721
May: 11,182
June: 22,410
July: 57,925
August: 14,033
September: 11,670
October: 23,838
November: 30,088
December: 1,247
Total: 261,990 words (More than I wrote last year!)

It was a good year for reading too. Goodreads informed me that I was in the top 25% of readers this year. I guess that means I’ve read a lot of books? You can fine My Year in Books right here. Goodreads also told me I was really good at reading and probably other things too. Wasn’t that nice of them? *rolls eyes with a smirk*

And now, what does this new year look like? Just as crazy? Probably. Just as full? Most likely. Just as led and directed and planned by the Author and Finisher of my faith? Absolutely!

But I do have some goals. And here are some of them.

• Host another Read Another Page Reading Challenge
• Run and participate in 3 KDWC camps
• Work 3 elections since it is an election year
• Finish and publish Secret Project
• Write Katie Wood (I really hope I can!)
• Publish Heroes Without Capes
• Write and publish another Christmas Collection story
• Finish and publish another novel or novella
• Write a story for a new Aunties’ Collection

And other things. I have a widows’ luncheon to plan for and enjoy in February. Another year of running the widows’ ministry at church. Going to visit my grandpa and aunt. Reading, babysitting nieces and nephews, and posting a blog post once a week. And maybe I’ll even share a few short stories on my Friday blog.

So many plans. So many things to do. I also want to take time to enjoy the life that God has given me. To find delight in the little things instead of always trying to get more done, accomplish bigger things.

Do you have plans for this year? How was 2023? Did you get a lot of things done? Do you usually make plans for the year or the month? Or do you just do whatever comes next?