2011

Back when myspace was cool, and I didn't have a blog, I used to make a list of things I had learned in the previous year after the new year started. I thought it would be kinda neat if I re-started the tradition here on my blog, but made a few changes to the way I wrote it. Maybe I'll even share some of my old lists...and yes, my myspace account is still active, hahaha!

So instead of literally making a numbered list, I'm just going to talk about a few things that have caught my attention, taught me something, or jolted me awake through out the year.

First things first. My faith in the Lord has grown exponentially. I have always carried him in my heart but this year has really shown me how present he can really be when you ask for him. I have not only leaned on him to get me through the hard times but also asked him to be with me during the happy and easy times.I have turned to him to show me the way to handle situations that I am new to, and asked him to guide me through the things that are definitely not new to me. He has shown me how to calm myself before I let my temper...or mouth get the best of me.

I've grown as a mother this year in a few different ways. I have developed a new kind of calmness in my mothering. I used to get pretty high strung in situations where things weren't going quite my way, but as my kids get older I see that things most definitely cannot always go exactly as planned. I have found my niche in Max's school classroom, and learned my boundaries. I have learned to FIGHT the urge to crowd Max and play MAMArazzi with him. I learned to hang to the sides, where he knows I am there but I am not embarrassing him. The urge to coddle and direct him in every movement comes so naturally to me, and learning to overcome has been hard, but at the end of the day I know that I would rather not embarrass my child.

There have been a few instances this year that have not only shook me to my core but also my husband. We have seen quite a few divorces this year. Whether they were celebrities (cough, Kim K., cough cough), acquaintances, or even close friends. There is something about seeing bad relationships, seeing divorces, and hearing about what goes on behind closed doors, that can really put your own relationship into perspective. The best way to say that we have learned from all the bad things that happened and are still happening is to say that we have become more AWARE. I have always been pretty perceptive to his needs because thats how most women are, but as many of you probably know, men are not like that. Men work better with detailed instructions and a guide hahaha! So, I can't actually speak for him because he is his own person, but I can say that I have seen a change for the better within him. 

A few more things I have learned this year are:

Good things do come to those who wait...even if you have to wait a long, long time.
Most things are not as good as they look on the internet.
Don't compare yourself to other people. Your husband didn't marry them...he married YOU.
When you just cant stand it anymore, kneel. (Yes, I totally got that online, but it makes TOO MUCH sense)
You can't always get what you want.
Your kids will only be kids for so long, soak up as much love, time, and attention as you can...because then they become teenagers....dun dun duuuuunnnnn.

There is a whole bunch of other things I learned this year, but I wont drag this on any longer haha! I wish nothing but health and prosperity on you (yes, even you) and I hope you ALL have a wonderful year!

Welcome to 2012!

Talk to you soon,
J