2012 in Review

In 2012, I wish I could tell you that I:

• Had a healthy, worry-free pregnancy
• Managed to lose all that pesky baby weight
• Seamlessly added another beautiful child to our brood
• Made the transition to eating only locally produced meals
• Whisked Mr. P away on a romantic getaway to a far away location
• Managed to get back on my Anti-Fungus Diet and stay on it

Instead, I have to tell you that:

• Had some scares with our sweet baby D and worried incessantly until the day she was born
• Have managed to gain weight since the initial baby weight loss
• I'm still adjusting to juggling three children who all have very different needs from me throughout the day
• Added our own locally grown eggs, milk, pork, chicken, and vegetables to our diet, but haven't really gotten around to finding many other locally grown producers
• Went to Branson to have Thanksgiving with my family.  I did manage to take Mr. P to see a movie without kids right before D was born. 
• Haven't even thought about my diet until the last week of December

However, in the past year I have also:

• learned to make Cheddar, Colby, and Parmesan cheese with our own milk
• canned (pressure and water-bath) and froze most of my garden this year, probably close to 50 gallons of produce
• brought a healthy, perfect baby girl into the world
• Allowed my 2 year old son to potty train himself
• completed my 2nd year of homeschooling and began the 3rd
• Watched my oldest start her own egg business
• Welcomed my first nephew into the world and discovered what all the hype was about becoming an Auntie
• Watched the love of my life baptize my big girl after she accepted Jesus as her savior
• Had the first visits of the Toothfairy to my house - 5 times
• Took my children to the state capitol to meet state legislators and stand up for our right to homeschool
• Got my first gun and got my SDA license and was trained to protect myself and my children
• Read through the entire Bible in 90 days

In 2013, I hope to:

• Take a more advanced shooting training course
• Eat more locally grown food
• Reach my fitness goals through diet and exercise
• Keep to our budget
• Pay down some debt
• Spoil my nephew rotten
• Watch my big girl rock her competitive gymnastics meets
• Be more involved in the moment
• Finish decorating my school room and my kids' rooms
• Find another good personal Bible study and stick to it

2012 was a year of learning new skills, making new choices, adding new family members.  It was a year of beginnings!  I hope to enjoy 2013 and bask in the joy that began last year, but also develop new disciplines. I didn't reach most of my goals for 2012, but I did so much more than that.  

I pray that God continues to bless you and your family in the new year!