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Sunday, January 1, 2012

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

It's so cliche, but I have been thinking a lot about what I loved about 2011 and what I'm looking forward to about 2012!  2011 has been a sensational year (minus the too rainy summer!) and I wanted to reflect on some of those great things...

1)  The obvious...finding out about our precious blessing!  Brad and I have both always known that we wanted to be parents, but we also knew we wanted to do it on our time.  Little did we know, our son would be the exact same way!  A little background (ya know, for some perspective on the road to now): B and I have really been together since 2003, but exclusive only since 2004.  We had break-ups and make-ups, rough times and incredibly tough times (deaths; mistakes; heartaches; being young, stupid, immature, and naive; long distance for 3 years...etc.) but considering we made it through it all and are now married, we can say that we've been together for 9 years...ahhhh!!! Even when we had pre-marital classes and counseling while we were engaged, the doctor we met with couldn't believe all we've been through and that we actually stood the test of time!  Love perseveres.  :)
Anyway, since we were together for so long and were college sweethearts, people began asking us about children literally the minute we got engaged and then that was the most FAQ at our wedding.  We couldn't believe it...we'd been married all of 30 minutes and people wanted to know when we were going to the next big step?  Wowza.  Well, on our 2nd wedding anniversary, we took a beach vacation and decided we were finally ready to start trying.  We figured it might take a few tries and we'd be preggo by October which would be ideal for me since I'm a teacher and that'd put a little one due in the summer.   Perfect, right?!?  Well, my body and OUR SON had other plans!  It was a year (almost to the date) from when we started trying until we actually got pregnant...it's so amazing how God's plan isn't always what we plan or what we expect.  HE knows what is right and WHEN it's right.  HIS timing is the right timing. We're just so thrilled that we could be ringing in the new year and celebrating the upcoming arrival of our first child in 2012!  So there, peeps...NOW is when we're thinking about having kids because WE ARE having one.  Happy?!?  WE ARE!  Tee-hee :)

2)  an incredible tax return and B's bonus that came at the exact right time...right when I totaled my car.  Thus, he was able to surprise me with a pretty new one.  It may not be my old one that I loved so, so, so much, but she's fabulous and he. bought. me. a. car!  How many people can say that?!?

3)  On that note, good insurance :)

4)  My AMAZING group of 3rd graders I had in the 2010-2011 school year.  They were beyond tremendous and I loved every second of being with them.  I miss them so much...best group I've ever had.  Hands down.

5)  Telling everyone we love about the upcoming new addition to our family!

6)  Being in Beth and Kody's wedding :)  And...being with her as she found her dress and helping with other wedding details!

7)  Brad and me BOTH being in Lucy and Shane's wedding.  And helping her shop for her dress and wedding details.

8)  Brad being in Laura and Ben's wedding

9)  Witnessing so many of our friends marrying the loves of their lives!

10)  Although it was a rainy summer, we still had plenty of sunshine and plenty of awesome pool days - Shawnee perfected his swimming and we even got him to touch and swim along the bottom of the deep end.  He's advanced :)

11)  Meeting great new peeps at a new school!

12) Having many a snow day - a teacher's dream!  I'm seriously even more grateful for them now, seeing as how that doesn't seem to be too likely with the warm start to our winter THIS year.  Boo.

13) a Daddy who is such a huge help in getting things done to our house (our fabulous living room renovations that came at the beginning of this year and happened because of him!)

14) Seeing my big brother accomplish his dream and getting to chat with him via Skype :)

15) Beth's bachelorette party in Nashville.  so. so. so. much. fun.

16) Lucy's bachelorette party in Louisville and surprising her with us bridesmaids wearing UGLY bridesmaid's dresses!  And people actually thought we were serious!  Crazy birds.

17) a UK Final Four appearance...it's been FAR. TOO. LONG.

18) UK's AWESOME season - what a comeback we had!

19) a beach vacation with my family

20) reconnecting with old friends :)

My hopes for 2012 are enveloped within our son.  Anything I long for or hope to accomplish involves him.  I just hope to see the birth of a healthy, vivacious little man and I cannot wait to see and experience everything that coincides with his presence in this world!  Being a mom is already the MOST rewarding experience of my life and I anticipate it to only get better and better.  2012 is going to be the best. year. yet.  

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