2011 A Recap

Well friends, here we are at the very end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012. As I sit here I can't help but think about everything that has happened in the past year, both good and bad. So, I thought I would do a little recap of what my year has looked like, if nothing more than to give myself perspective as I prepare to journey around the sun one more time.

Good Times of 2011:
Jason and I went on more trips last year than ever before! We went to Tahoe to the snow, which was so fun, especially because we took Lucy. We went to Seattle to visit Mike. We went to Yosemite twice! We went to New York to celebrate our dear friend turning 30! To end the year we went to Kauai, Hawaii, just the two of us, for 8 glorious days. Everywhere we went was fun, and God had his hand upon us.

I was part of or attended 5 weddings this year! I love watching people get married, and each couple this year were special to me. There is something sacred about watching vows being said, and it reminds me of the promises I made to Jason almost 5 years ago. I am always so excited for the life and new journey the couple is starting together.

I got to meet and hold and love on so many new babies this year! While I have a niece and nephew, who are the BEST EVER!, I also have the privilege of being a surrogate Auntie to lots of kids and babies. It is wonderful to feel so loved and to love so much.

Somebody's Honey, my small business, was invited to its first Holiday Boutique this year. It was a great starting point for me and I learned a lot about what people were looking for by what sold the best. (Hair clips seemed to be the main seller.)

We had many friends come and stay with us throughout the year, it was wonderful! Our spare room wasn't "spare" and was instead filled with our dear friends.

But, of course, there were hard times too. Although, I feel like every hard thing was peppered with good, so even though we were standing in the midst of trial and heart break, good things were already rising from the ashes.

The hardest time this past year was when we lost our baby. It has been a hard road for me to "let go" of. I still have moments where I think of that child and wonder what could have been. But, there has been so much good to come out the situation. I can never be thankful for my miscarriage, but I AM thankful for what has come out of it.

Quickly following was the fact that I didn't return to Baymonte this year. I had been there for 6 years and loved my job more than anything. I love working with kids, that is where my heart lies. It has been an interesting transition to figure out where and what to do now. I am still looking at school's, but honestly, am very discouraged with how expensive everything is. I am already in debt from my BS degree and cannot fathom doubling it for a year of school. However, even in the midst of all this confusion and heartache over not being at the school, God has blessed our family. I get to sub every now and then, and I have kept in contact with my friends, which is nice.

There have been other things here and there, disagreements, money being tight, getting sick. But none of it outweighs the blessings we have had this year.

2011, while you were hard in some ways, I think you were the best year yet! I am sorry to see you go and yet at the same time and SO excited to see what blessings lay before us! 2012, you have a lot to live up to! But, I already know you are going to be good. I will start a new decade, 30 is right there! And I get to meet new lives in the upcoming months. I don't know what God has in store for us, but I know it will be good.

Happy New Year friends! Many blessings on you all!