The Good of 2013

It was a fast and furious ending to 2013. I had crazy fits and starts trying to finish a project at work (long story short, it STILL isn’t done). I spent a ton of time playing Santa and chef de cuisine. I caught strep throat and left Matt alone with 4 kids while I slept for 48 hours straight. We packed up most of our house and started killing things off on the before-we-sell-to-do-list. We rang in the New Year with some great friends and then spent the first week of 2014 relaxing and skiing. Blogging  has been one of the last things on my mind. But it’s important to me and I do want to get back to it.

In a subsequent post, I plan to list off resolutions for last year and new ones for this year, but now I want to reflect on 2013. I started to do a retrospective questionnaire about the year and realized it was pointless. The most major thing about 2013 was definitely losing my mom and all roads sort of lead back to that terrible event. But I’m a glass-is-half-full kind of girl all the way around and I know Mom wouldn’t want me dwelling on the crap, so I’m going to list off 10 great things that happened last year.

1. I watched my sweet kiddos grow and mature another year – they’re exceeding my expectations and are truly lovely little people. Tabby can read anything you put in front of her and is making amazing strides in math, music and SKIING. Ben has all the good foundations to start kindergarten and learned to ride a bike and can ski with the best of ’em. Best of all, I’m proud of their characters. They are kind, thoughtful people.
2. I got to spend another wonderful year with my hubby who continues to be the best husband and father to my kiddos I could ask for. We’ve laughed, cried, tackled crazy projects together and had lots of fun.
3. I found a new closeness with my dad, sister, family, friends and coworkers who were so incredible when Mom passed away. You all made it bearable.
4. We got to take a wonderful trip with Matt’s step mom, sister and niece. It was a great experience we all fully enjoyed.
5. I completed a sprint triathlon. That still kind of boggles my mind.
6. I sought and was awarded a promotion to marketing manager, a role I’m still trying to figure out.
7. We decided to sell our house and build a new one.
8. We had amazing adventures skiing and camping.
9. We got to gather with our extended, extended family for our bi-annual reunion in August.
10. We got hedgehogs!

I can’t say I’m sad to see 2013 go and I’m a little apprehensive about my first official calendar year without Mom, but I’m going to do my best to continue to enjoy life and find pleasure in the good stuff. It’s still there. I just wish Mom was here to share it with us.