The Countdown Is On

I'm counting down the minutes until our friends from Oklahoma arrive.

I'm counting down the moments until we are ringing in a brand spankin' New Year.

And while I'm at it I think I'll go ahead & count down some of our highlights from 2011.

Count with me, now!

10. Jett Jett turns ONE

9.  Turning the big 3-0

8.  Celebrating SEVEN years of marriage

7.  Roadtrip to Oklahoma

6. Jared's first half marathon

5. Summertime--every last drop of it

4. Jared's first missions trip to Guatemala

3. Finding out we're expecting our second baby

2. Discovering that second baby is a GIRL

1. The best Christmas of all time

2011 was one amazing year for our family. Last year when I wrote this post, I said I had one resolution for 2011 & that was to ROCK IT. Well I'd say we did just a little more than accomplish that mission. I mean, we grabbed our electric guitars, star studded microphones & we head-banged ourselves all over that stage of life. Seriously, we rocked it out like no other. It was one crazy, awesome year & I stand here in awe of just how good it actually was.

I'm not naive enough to think that every year ahead of us is going to be as kind as 2011 has been. There will be years that bring hurt. Years where we are stretched & broken & weak. Years where we will have to refocus, regroup & rebuild. And those years will be necessary in becoming the individuals we are destined to become.

But 2011 has taught me that there is a silver lining to every cloud. That just up ahead, if you keep trudging forward, there will be higher ground. Life is full of peaks & valleys, ebbs & flows, but at the end of the day, you can take a great big deep breath knowing that everything really is going to be okay in the end. Nope, scratch that. You can take a great big deep breath & know that in the end, everything is not just going to be okay--but that it's gonna absolutely rock.

So here is the moment--the moment we bid farewell to 2011. The time has come for us to move forward. But don't think for a second that we will ever forget the powerful lessons we've learned during the last 365 days that have been given to us. In fact, as we're headed into the uncharted territory & unfamiliar lands that lie before us, we will cling to the hope that no matter what this life sends our way, there will always be another silver lining waiting ahead. Another  "2011", if you will, where we'll have the opportunity to make a comeback & ROCK IT. 

And since I'm on a roll as far as New Years Resolutions go, {hey I'm one for one!}, I can't help but make one for 2012. I thought long & hard about my resolution & I've finally settled upon one. Wanna hear what it is?

EMBRACE. 

I know life for us is going to change in a mighty big way in the course of the next twelve months. My goal for the new year is to embrace the changing of seasons in our lives rather than dig my heels in & resist them like I typically tend to do when I feel my world shifting. This year, I want to feel every single moment, allow myself to be bend, & know that a better me is in the works. I want to look back on 2012 & see that I conquered that uncharted territory.

And just real quick, before I make my final salute to 2011, I would like to take a moment to thank each & every one of you for allowing me to share our lives here on this blog over the past year. I've poured out the many happenings of our home & you've been here every step of the way. You've rooted me on, you've shed tears with me, & you've brought some of the biggest smiles to my face. I cannot put into words the amount of strength & encouragement I have gleaned from so many of you, but I what I can say is, thank you. Your words have made a difference, your support has meant the world, & the fact that you come here & find our day to day lives interesting, absolutely warms my heart. It's been a great year & being able to share it with each of you has been the cherry on top!

Goodbye 2011. Thanks for helping us find our inner rock star.

Hello 2012. Show us whatcha got.