Goodbye, 2012

This has been a really great year. As I type this my older boys are climbing all over me, the baby is alternately grabbing toys and demanding my attention, and my parents are heading back in from a short shopping trip (that was also a little break from the attentions of their grandsons). 2013 is bringing several changes, mostly of the smaller, everyday changes that happen without much forethought, but also several larger alterations to our lives.

I have decided to resign from my current position. I like my job, and I am good at it, but I am just not focused enough on either my work or my kids and I really want to focus on my boys. I still need an income though, so I am looking at a more flexible position with the same company. I hope to hear back this coming week, but things at work are definitely changing.

In February I am going to begin training to become a certified doula. I have wanted to become a midwife since I was 12 years old, but after having two babies with midwives I have discovered that what I really want to do is support the moms, and Andaluz is providing an avenue to do that. I am very excited.

Third, we are going to try to move. I would like to live in an area with sidewalks that is closer to everything we use/want, and hopefully closer to an actual community, if not inside a community, of supportive neighbors. Maybe we can pull this off, maybe we can't, but we are continually improving our home with this in mind in addition to our own needs and comforts.

There are many things I want to begin or progress with that I have not been able to due to my schedule; improving my cooking, getting back into Highland dancing, maybe joining a book club, refining and expanding my etsy store, a few side projects that may become something bigger, that mystery book club I signed up for, and the boys are going to be enjoying a lot more of my attention now (whether they like it or not). We are going to have a lot of fun.

I'm not a really sentimental person, given to recaps and long lists of reminiscences. When I'm asked what I am thankful for there is just so much, so I go with what is simple. This year brought the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. We got the most perfect baby on the planet, amen. Tonight I look forward to beginning a brand new calendar, starting new projects, and a whole lot of eggs florentine, sparkling cider, and time with loved ones. Maybe even a livestream of some fireworks. Here is to a really, really great year.

Happily,
-nava