2020 has been a year for the books!  I really never saw it coming 😩 

I had so many plans moving into 2020, but God had other plans for the year. If you follow me on social media you may have noticed that I’ve been MIA for quite sometime! I definitely felt the need to take a break often last year. I’m not sure if it was just me, but some weird energy was around making everything in its path all bad, all the time. But in the end, 2020 taught me Latoya is far from being weak!

I’m sure many families across the world can relate to loosing someone they loved dearly to COVID-19. For my family it was my 86 year old grandmother. She contracted the virus at her nursing home facility, and within 6 days she transitioned 😞. Her service was the most difficult, due to the stay at home order in place within my state. I felt her goodbye wasn’t befitting for the woman she was to my mom, and to our entire family. That’s still a tough pill to swallow. This was the worst part of 2020 for me. 

As I stated, I had major plans for 2020. This was the year, my degree would be conferred! More than anything that I’ve ever wanted, or worked for this meant the most to me. It was definitely trying, and at times I wanted to give UP!  Working full time, full time single parent, working from home, newly kindergarten and 2nd grade teacher all while being a student myself. Can you imagine how difficult that was for me? But as always with the help of my family, and especially the help of my brothers friend I aced my final semester with a 3.5 GPA ☺️. #2020grad👩🏽‍🎓 #degree-conferred 🙌🏾. Looking back over my year this was my greatest accomplishment. It has helped me to place myself in a better position for my children whom I love with all of my being. 

2020 was a year of changes, not quite the changes I originally had planned. I promised myself going into 2020 I would be more outgoing, I wanted to place myself in different spaces to hopefully meet different people. Due to Covid.. (I’m so tired of hearing that damn phrase) that goal of mine did not go as planned. Which is ok. Because I really had a year to sit with myself. To learn myself, to gain a better understanding of Latoya, to meditate, to study my Bible. 2020 year was a year of personal growth, and spiritual awareness for me. I was so deep in my Bible, so deep in my mediations that spiritually I’m not the same person…and I know that God is beyond proud of my progression within my faith.

Although 2020 came in like a wrecking ball, I stood still. I ground my feet, and no matter how difficult, how draining it felt to wake up and move, to just breathe, I got up and gave it my all. I started my day in the Bible, I spoke positively, I affirmed my desires and needs. I asked for help, and I helped others often….And it is because of that I preserved through the many obstacles, trails and tribulations of 2020. 

2020 taught me how to stand up for myself, it made me speak up for myself, it forced me to trust myself, but most importantly it taught me to LOVE MYSELF 🥰! 

In closing, because of my obedience, and amenable ability to adapt to life’s journey I made it through the hell of a year 2020, And it is with much enthusiasm I am elated and overjoyed to welcome 2021 with open arms! 

“Now come in 2021 and act like you got some damn sense!!!!” 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TALKERS! 

-Latoya