Rewind : 2011 Style

I've done recaps for both 2009 and 2010, and they are some of my favorite posts. I like the nostalgia of seeing what all I did in the course of twelve months. As I stay the same age get older, I forget all the lovely, not-so-lovely and miscellaneous things that have filled my calendar in all the days behind me.

2011 taught me a lot. Even though I was sleep-deprived as the year began, I knew my resolution list was meager and kind of shallow. I don't know whether I was lacking hope or time or just needed a nap. Regardless, 2011 was a big year. It was better and harder than I could have imagined it to be. Here's what happened:

I became a work widow, the dogs ran away and came back, and I finally had some family pictures taken.

I geared up for homesteading and kept good on my promises to travel more.

Evan turned one and we traveled even more. We then visited New York, and Canada, and Brenham for both bluebonnets and a Texas-staple ice cream.

Robert turned 31, the garden started to grow. We visited story times at far-away libraries, visited East Texas, I talked about boobs, giant watermelon and swim class. Daisy died. We also went to the pool about five million times.

I got knocked up, found out it was twins, and found out one was a girl. And even did family pics again.

We celebrated four years together, took Evan on horse rides, I turned 30, and despite all the morning sickness, we kept on traveling.

Evan started preschool, he got his first haircut, and I went out on bed rest and did a whole lot of belly aching.

Something feels so familiar about this time of year; I've both been on bed rest at New Years, and had a baby here. I don't feel like I accomplished all that much, especially with my soft list of resolutions. But there was a #9 I didn't put on that list. It was something that only Robert and I talked about and I didn't write down anywhere. #9 was to get pregnant. I'd say I at least accomplished the one concrete thing on my list.

I don't know what 2012 will be like; our family of three will explode to a family of five, almost doubling in size. I'm excited and scared and anxious and over-joyed all at the same time. I don't know what it's going to be like to have an older child and younger children. I don't know what twins will be like or when they'll come or what shape my body will be in by then. I know that it'll be hard and my mantra remains Eisenhower's wise words stating "Plans are worthless, but planning is everything." We have a big, comfy rocker and two cribs and some tiny diapers and we'll have a minivan before I know it.

More than anything, we have love. And each other. Love always remains. As Avalon sings, "Through the brightest joys, the darkest pain". Love remains.

Bring it on 2012. We're ready.

*both professional pictures courtesy of Kipper Photography.