Monday, January 2, 2012

New Year, New Lessons Learned

2011 taught me many lessons, some good, some bad, some odd, some fun...all tucked away to hopefully someday pass on to my children and if I am blessed my grandchildren many years from now. But with my, um, let's say highly passionate pre-teen being in a not so accepting mood most days how do we impart these lessons so that maybe, just maybe she can walk a wiser path?

Well, I'm hoping that'll be one of the lessons I learn in 2012! I know we tend to want a "better" life for our children but does that always need to be measured by the financial stability? Maybe the family togetherness? Education, extra-curricular activities, vacations, road trips, how do we measure what's better?

Hopefully a good mix but with the material and financial details being at the bottom of that list - because I think what best gives our children a solid starting off point in life has little to do with whether they had the coolest clothes or the latest electronics or the classiest vacation spots and much more to do with the amount of love they felt in what they have received.

Top lessons learned/re-learned in 2011:
5: Potty training may be the death of me so I'm glad this is the last time I'm doing it! (Ha! Till the grandkids arrive, right?)
4: New friends can be found in some unlikely places, but that doesn't make them any less awesome!
3: You have to step away from stress when it becomes severe and it may surprise the pants off you to see how long it will take to recover if you took too long to do so.
2: Children may spend equal time being your biggest headache and melting your heart but in the end they are blessings you will cherish forever and are our legacy on this earth.
1: Marriage is hard, rewarding work and it really does keep getting better and better if you keep up that hard work - because there's nothing like loving and being loved by your soul's mate!

Hope ya'll have a superbly blessed 2012!!!