happy 2012!!

last year's theme was acceptance.  and i must say, i'm not there 100%, but i sure am a lot farther along in that process than i was a year ago.  i have proof of it, and at some point i'll write about the proof.


i've been trying to find one word for 2012 to work on, and know generally what i'm looking for, but want to be more specific.  i feel like even though choosing one theme sounds more generic than a list of  detailed resolutions, i find that it actually causes me to work daily on changing who i am, and it's more effective for me.


anyway, when i find it i'll write about it {also helpful for me, to put it down to remember}.  but for now, a look back on 2011....


i went through my blog posts and couldn't believe just how much has changed for us.  an unexpected pregnancy, changing emotionally unhealthy pieces of me to mold who i aspire to be, an emergency move, caleb's broken arm with surgeries included, the birth of sweet baby june, the passing of my grandma, ben charging through the hardest semester of school so far, a lot of really great memories with family and friends, starting a new job, and more than anything,


continuing to find happiness.


2011 wasn't a breeze by any stretch of the imagination.  but what it did show me is that yet again, i can push myself to stretch in ways i haven't before.  i've been telling myself "i can do hard things" for 2 years now, and when i look back, i see that it's actually true.  not just do them, but go through them with an ability to believe of good things to come on the other side of them.  


i know that life is full of difficulties, and i may have not even cracked the surface of those to come in my life, but i do believe that this year was about laying a foundation for those times.  to let optimism override pessimism, to choose to rise above any situation, having faith that there is a God in heaven above who is mindful of me and my family.


i have felt that so many times this year.


so here's to more love, more faith, more courage to change, more gratitude, more humility, more honesty, more happiness.


here we come, 2012!  


now let's see if those mayans know what they're talking about.  :)