The last few days have been hectic and full with family, friends, Christmas preparation, and Rotary.

We had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the Fort Collins Rotary Club and got to see author Lee Child speak which was an incredibly cool surprise. We also attended a meeting for Five Points RiNo Rotary and the beginning of the meeting made me feel pretty sentimental.

One Rotary tradition that I adore is Happy Dollars. During Rotary meetings, Happy Dollars are a moment where a Rotarian can stand up and express something good happening in their lives and give a dollar or a few to the Club. The money is given to the Rotary Foundation or another organization of the club’s choice, usually at the end of a quarter. People give Happy Dollars for everything from sport team wins to college graduations and new grandkids.

Today, at the meeting, I gave a Happy Dollar and expressed my gratitude for service.

I spent so much of the time preparing for this year excited for the travel aspect. However, being home is giving me a new appreciation for the service and for the community that Rotary also brings me.

Evan and I have consistently been welcomed into and embraced in each club we have visited. We’ve shared laughs and meals and stories but above all, the service. Since being back in Colorado, we’ve been able to give times to multiple Rotary Clubs and multiple events and it is truly at the heart of this year and I’m so insanely grateful that even though our traveling is on hold through the holiday, we are still able to find ways to give and embrace the true purpose of this year.