Good-bye 2008

2008 was a big year for us.
2008 was the year of the move. From Austin to our forever home on a ranch in San Marcos where I grew up. A year where I built new routines and met many new faces and started a new life in a new town.
2008 was the year of the 50's housewife, where I focused in on my family and my home. Where I kept the kids happy and entertained and stimulated without any childcare for almost nine months. Where I cooked three to five meals a day and at least three of them were south beach friendly. Where I volunteered at the kids schools and went on playdates and made sure the weekends were full of fun for my family. Where I set up a routine for keeping my house clean and picked up and where we worked hard outside to create a fun place for our children to be. Where I set up a budget and worked very hard to stay within it.
2008 was the year my children became playmates. And they do love each other. They play all day long and mope when the other one is missing.
2008 was a great year for our marriage. We renewed our vows and became closer than ever as we finally really figured out how to communicate with each other.
2008 was a year of family as we settled into living on the ranch with extended family, traveled to visit more family and spent our holidays with family we didn't often see.
2008 was about settling in and building a life for our family. The recession hurt. A lot. Making new friends was hard sometimes and missing old ones even harder. The kids threw a lot of temper tantrums and took a lot of work. But those things seem inconsequential, when I look at the bigger pictures.
2008 was a great year. One that was incredibly fulfilling to me personally. I have grown so much this year as a mother and a wife. I am filled with a joy of being satisfied. I'm tired, but really and truly happy with the direction my life is taking me.
Happy New Year's All! XXOO, Amber