2011: A Year In Retrospect

I can hardly believe that Christmas has come and gone, and that 4 days from now we will be in 2012. Where has the time gone? As I was reflecting on this during my drive home tonight (with a 90 minute commute I have a LOT of time to reflect!) I couldn't help but remember the following about this year:

1.) RP hit some MAJOR milestones. She turned three in April, started pre-school (in earnest) in June, began taking gymnastics and ballet lessons, participated n her first pageant, and last (but certainly not least!), was FINALLY potty trained! Her speech has improved dramatically and she now knows her ABCs, can count, and is beginning to learn to read and write. What happened to my baby???

2.) Our mega-family vacation to Disney World! Despite crappy weather and large crowds, the kids had a blast, and I'll admit I did too. I'm not sure when, if ever, we will ALL be able to take a vacation like this again, and it was enjoyable to share it with RP, my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and my niece and nephews! I was worried about taking RP on a plane ride after our experience flying back from Moscow, but it couldn't have gone smoother - we literally sat down in our seats, she snuggled in and promptly fell asleep until we reached our destination - both there AND back. Now WHY didn't that happen on those international flights?!?!?!

3.) RP's first road trip. We drove to northern Wisconsin for a few days to get away, and so RP could finally meet her extended family of cousins, aunts, and uncles. She was a trooper on the 6-hour car ride, crying only the last 20 minutes or so because she was ready to be done in the car, and we both had a fantastic time visiting family and enjoying the new scenery.

4.) Multiple career changes. I started the year as the Customer Service Manager for an online marketing company, and was promptly laid off as of January 4 (nice of them to allow me to "celebrate" my four-year anniversary with the comapny on January 3rd). Despite some rough goings ever since I returned from my adoption leave for RP, I was still shocked. I was miserable in that job, but it paid the bills, and suddenly I was faced with having to make do on unemployment while I looked for a job. That task was daunting, and I cannot even begin to count the number of resumes I sent out, but I finally went back to work in September more than eight months as a stay-at-home mom. My new official title is Sales Training Specialist, and I was thrilled to be back in training - I just wish my job were actually a little more training and a little less babysitting the sales reps. I am not, however, complaining - everyone I work with is really nice and I'm grateful to be back to work, despite taking a HUGE paycut in accepting this position (but yes, it's better than "living on the system!").

5.) I'm an aunt again! Baby AS joined older siblings AC, EG, AB, and IJ in late October, and it's exciting to have a tiny munchkin in the family again. Does it make me want another child? Hmmm.... yes and no. I love RP to pieces and would do every bit of the process again for her, but I am not financially able to do a Russian adoption again, and I would worry that what little time I feel like I am able to spend with RP would have to be split between two, and I'm not sure that would be fair to either of them. If the opportunity presented itself, I wouldn't turn it away, but RP most likely will be an only child - good thing she has GOBS of cousins to play with!

6.) I turned the big 4-0. Yes, it's still hard to write, let alone talk about. How did I get so damned old? Some days I feel every bit of 40 (and then some) and others I can hardly believe it. 40 IS the new 30... right?

7.) Another furbaby enters the menagerie. RP convinced me that she just HAD to get a kitten after Nana got her new kitten late this summer, so we adopted Chloe, a beautiful and sweet calico kitty, in early September. This new addition now brings our household to one Mommy, one RP, one betta fish (Nemo), two dogs, and two cats! It's crazy around here, and I often tell people that if we try to add one more animal to this place I will need a petting zoo license to do so, but it works for us. And no, there will be NO more animals any time soon...

When put to paper, 2011 was a pretty good year. Yes, there were certainly ups and downs, but all in all RP and I were very blessed this year. I hope 2012 is good as well, not just for us, but for all our family and friends, who are the biggest blessings we have in this life. Happy New Year one and all!