This year has been a turd.  It really has.  So, I'm forcing myself to sit down and recount some of the more positive aspects of the year.  Enjoy!!

10.  I got to work with my Courtney again.

I know a lot of you don't understand this one, but I had to say goodbye to my Courtney in February because she moved away back to the big city.  While there were times that I wanted to strangle my Courtney to death with my tiny fists of fury, I always knew she had my back.  I mean look at her... She's pure awesomeness!  There's plenty of laughing when I'm workin' with my Courtney.  And yes, I do always refer to her as MY Courtney. 

9.  Coldplay Concert
This is not my video, but it gives you an idea of the awesomeness!!  Leigh Ann and I had wanted to go to the concert, but waited too late to buy tickets.  Leigh Ann won tickets from Sirius XM Radio, but still couldn't go because she had planned a vacation that weekend.  Jeremy and I went and it was fun.  Jeremy could not name a single Coldplay song but still enjoyed it.  It was pure entertainment!  I love concerts.  There's just something about physically feeling the music in you!  The bass pounds in your soul!  The quickest way to my heart is through music.  I've always connected to it.  If I need to remember something, I usually put it to a tune.  There's always a song playing in my head, even if it's a corny commercial.   The Mylo Xyloto album was my favorite purchase this year.  Paradise and Up in Flames speak volumes to me.  Cheesy, yes.  Coldplay is too commercial?  Who cares.  I'm not a music snob.  It's obvious from my iTunes account.

8.  Camping
I spent MANY a weekend at the lake when I was younger, but I realized this summer that my kids have never been camping!  My parents bought a travel trailer (I ain't doin' that tent crap.) and we spent a weekend roughing it.  OK, it wasn't exactly rough.  We did sleep in actual beds and watched DVD's in the air conditioned camper but it was the spirit of being in nature that counted right?!  It was during the fall so we couldn't go swimming but the kids did splash around a bit!  Next year, we will spend more time camping.  For sure!
7.  Competition Dance

The Buzzing Bumblebees

We had a lot of fun traveling with Sara this spring and summer for her Bumblebee Dance.  We went to OKC, Ft. Worth, Dallas and Arlington.  I had a blast watching the other dance parents.  That is some GOOD people watching!  Sara became more confident each time we went out on the road.  Emily got creative supporting her sister and was quite patient through the whole ordeal.  OKC was a minivacation and we look forward to going back TWICE this year!  We met lots of neat people and made new friends!


6.  Big Nerd, RN

I finished my ADN and passed my boards for my RN!  It wasn't easy and it required a lot of sacrifice for me and my family but it is done.  Well, almost.  Still working on my bachelors but I've got those 2 letters behind my name now!

5.  We did THIS a lot!







4.  To Kill A Mockingbird

We went to watch To Kill A Mockingbird at the movies with my Dad.  One of my favorite books and Dads favorite movies.  It started with some background about the movie and how it was made.  It was neat to experience it on the big screen and was a nice reminder of some positives that have happened since that time but it was also a little sad to think that our world is so much scarier now.

3.  Lubbock

Mom went with me to my clinical (CPNE) in Lubbock.  The school that I did my RN transition through requires a weekend clinical experience.  The closest place to do it is Lubbock.  It was one of the most stressful experiences of my LIFE!  The clinical costs over $2000 to take, which only adds to the stress because it's a big investment.  In the traditional brick and mortar school transition, if you forget a step in your neuro assessment your clinical instructor glares at you but you get to try again tomorrow.  In my program if you miss a step in your neuro assessment you go home and your $2000 goes down the toilet and you get to wait 6 more months to try it again.  Mom has been through the CPNE  before so I drug her with me to cheer me on.  We should not be allowed to travel on our own. This whole weekend constitutes its own blog because it was hilarious.  At the time I wanted to cry, but couldn't because I was laughing the whole time.  Thank you Mom for being my rock during the whole weekend and letting me sleep when I needed it, and from rescuing us from the Roach Motel, and holding my hand during "crash landing", digging the keys out of the trash can and for sitting in the airport for hours with me. 

2.  Oh and this!





















1.  Every day
The best part of 2012 was that I was able to wake up every day and spend it with the ones I love. I was reminded again this year that your next breath is not guaranteed and each of these tiny moments are a gift.  I must use them wisely.  I should encourage a friend, say I love you a lot, say it too much, teach my children to be strong and wise and not forsake one for the other, show them what hard work can accomplish, kiss more, be more goofy (is that possible?), help those who are hurting, listen more, talk less, dance more, spend less, don't question motives and say Yes more.