A Frest Start

Well, it's been awhile, huh? So much has happened and changed since I last posted, so with the new year and a fresh start I decided to give blogging another go. I hope for this blog to be record of this time in my life, these new chapters and adventures, so that someday I can look back and remember how wonderfully blessed my little life was and is.

I decided to do this quiz, that I've seen so many of my favorite bloggers do all over the Internet to recap briefly my 2011 and bring you up to speed.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Oh boy! Let's see...took a positive pregnancy test, gained 50 pounds, birthed a 9.5 human, lost (most) of said 50 pounds and learned to live on an average of 4 to 5 hours of sleep per night.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Pretty sure last years resolution was to get pregnant, which I accomplished very early in 2011. What can I say, I'm an overachiever. This year, I would like to work on being a little more observant, being present in the moment and making sure that I breath in all these little experiences.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes! Along with so many friends, my oldest friend Amanda gave birth to her sweet boy just 2 days after me. It was a lot of fun to go through my pregnancy with her!

4. Did anyone close to you die?



No, thank God!

5. What countries did you visit?



For the first time in several years, we stayed right here in the good old USA, forgoing our annual Mexico trip for having our Rosalie. We did take a trip to San Diego in February with Jeff's family.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

MORE SLEEP!!! And more time with just our little family of three.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

January 22, we found we were having a baby

April 29, found out baby was a HEALTHY girl! (and, let's be real honest here, it was the royal wedding too)

September 17, we brought our sweet girl into this crazy world

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?



I'm starting to realize, some of my answers may start to seem slightly redundant...of course, my biggest achievement this year was watching my body do what it was absolutely made to do--carry and grow a freaking human being. The amazement, that somehow my body just knew what to do, and did it, reaffirmed my faith in God's sovereignty and made me realize how small and not in control I really am.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Probably the fear and doubt that I let consume me throughout most of my pregnancy. I realize now, how it robbed me of simply just being thankful and happy and "in the moment".

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

I have to give it up to Jeff on this one. That man took really good care of me while I was pregnant. He cooked dinners and did most all of the cleaning. He also put up with my (at times) ridiculos hormones. In addition, the two weeks that he took off work when Rosalie was born, were the happiest days of my life thus far.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?


Can't really think of much to put here.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Baby furniture and our new house

15. What did you get really excited about?

Obvs, the baby, but also the house and living in Edmond. But on a much smaller scale, I got very excited about ordering my frye boots tat i lusted over since 2006, the final Harry potter movie, my new iPad and fitting into my pre-pregnancy jeans in December.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Moves like Jagger--maroon 5

You make me feel--cobra starship

Chicken fried--zac brown band

River deep, mountain high--Celine dion

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
(a) happier or sadder?(b) thinner or fatter?(c) richer or poorer?

A. Happier

B. Fatter (still got some baby weight to go)

C. Richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?



Spend more time in the Bible, more time excersizing, more time keeping up with friends

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?



WORRY! Obsess over all the pregnancy weight I was gaining.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With both of our families.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

Oh boy, did I ever. I don't think I ever knew it was possible to love someone so selflessly. I love my daughter with a non-human love.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

American idol, X Factor, Revenge and Once Upon a Time

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?


No

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?


I wouldn't say that i really had one

26. What did you want and get?

A baby! A new house! My Frye boots!! My iPad!





27. What did you want and not get?

A push gift :-)




28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Harry Potter

29. How did you celebrate your birthday? And how old did you turn?

Since my birthday fell shortly after Rose's birth, we kept it pretty low key with a nice dinner at home. 31.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?



I honestly can't think of one thing. This was pretty much the bet year of my life thus far.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?



Ha. Hahaha. Ha. Ha. See gaining and losing 50 pounds above. I believe I stated my "personal fashion concept" this summer when I said everyone should just be happy I had all my major body part areas covered with some article of clothing.

.

32. What kept you sane?



This sounds crazy, but being able to listen to my favorite radio show in the morning (Kidd Kraddick) via I heart radio made my mornings so much easier (and more fun). And my iPhone.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I loved seeing what Duchess Kate wore, she has such elegant classic style.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?


I have always had strong views against abortion, however going through my pregnancy really brought the reality of the topic home and made me so upset that I couldn't even THINK about the issue without tears.

35. Who did you miss?



My mom. Amanda.

36. Who was the best new person you met?



Rosalie Suzanne!!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.



Hmm... I'm not sure. Probably just how magnificent the human body was created to be. And how I definitely don't need as much sleep as I used to think I did.