2012 was really a watershed year for me. In January, I became a mother. No matter what anyone tells you to the contrary, becoming a parent truly changes everything. My attitude towards my work changed; my relationships with my husband, my parents, my family and my friends changed; and my already-hectic schedule got completely annihilated. I am exhausted and, as soon as I think I have the stage that Sawyer's in figured out, he moves on to something entirely new - and I have to learn a whole new way to approach things (cases in point: feeding, sleeping, play, babyproofing, diaper changing). But I wouldn't trade it for the world.
In 2012, I also said goodbye to my dearest friend - my beloved Siberian Husky, Kayla. At 12 years and 7 months, on the most gorgeous first day of fall, she completed her journey here on Earth with us. After finding out that she had a massive liver tumor that was causing her to not eat, Chris and I made the most difficult decision to euthanize her on September 21, 2012. Although Chris and Sawyer accompanied us to the vet's, at the end, it was me and her together when she died. I'm crying just now thinking about it - how sad and peaceful and painful that moment was. I try to take comfort in knowing that we made the right decision and that she wouldn't have wanted to be in pain any more.
So we went from a family of three to a family of four, then back to a family of three. And then in October, we moved from our old apartment in Virginia Highlands to a single-family, split-level home in Decatur, complete with a huge backyard. Chris and I have spent what seems like every weekend since then organizing, decorating, or just trying to figure this new house out. I revamped Sawyer's playroom in time for the New Year - pictures up soon!
Chris and I also celebrated five years of marriage this past October. I can't believe that we've been married for half a decade, and together for eight years. I am really truly blessed to have him as my partner in this life and as Sawyer's dad. He's pretty awesome.
This year, I also celebrated four years as an attorney with my Agency by starting a new position with a different group of clients and colleagues. While I'm still in the same office, it's refreshing to work in a different area of law and be challenged by a new learning curve. Oh - and last night, Congress passed a bill to avoid the fiscal cliff, which means I won't be furloughed until at least March. So that's good.
What's in store in 2013? Your guess is as good as mine. If I've learned one thing over the years, it's that you can't plan for the future. Instead, I've got a few goals:
- Train for and run at least one half marathon. Planning on doing the Country Music Half in Nashville in April. Going to start the 10-week Fitness Magazine half training next week (1/7).
- Drink 10 glasses of water per day.
- No alcohol in the month of January.
- Limit my Diet Coke intake to one per day - but I really want to quit entirely.
- Limit consumption of animal protein to twice per week, and avoid dairy and eggs as much as possible.
- Limit processed food and refined sugar intake.
- Go on date nights with Chris at least once per month.
- Turn off iPad at least one hour before bed and actually read a book.
- Travel to Europe with Chris.
- Learn how to use my new digital SLR camera to take pretty photos.
- Refinish bedroom furniture.
- Go out to lunch with a "mommy friend" at least once per month.
- Go to the 2013 Presidential Inauguration. We're planning on doing this while we're in Maryland celebrating Sawyer's first birthday with my family, so half-check already!
- Weekly family walks to reconnect and unplug.
- Blog at least once per week.
That's it for now. Generally, I want to stop being so frazzled and start treating my body like the temple it ought to be (but is not currently as a result of a combination of pregnancy, post-baby-stress, lack of sleep, too much junk food and lack of exercise). My temple needs some deep cleaning!
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