Time flies

And just like that it's a new year. Every year brings new adventure, 2015 was one of the best yet. My husband and I welcomed our adorable son into the world. It has been the most amazing journey watching him grow and he will be one next month! Crazy how time flies. Along with his birthday this year will be full of fun and excitement. We have weddings and family vacations planned and it will be a year full of memories. I am blessed with being able to be a stay at home mom at the time. I get to spend hours o Ln end watching my son learn everything as he takes in the world. Our current obsession is walking, he is so ready and I am not. I am in denial that he is close to being a toddler. However I am so excited to go through everything we have planned this year and see life through his eyes. Everything is so big and new and exciting, a lot of that is lost as we grow up and expect too much. If we really take a breather and look around we have oh so much to be thankful for. My son is so lucky to be loved by so many family members. He has all of his grandparents and FIVE great grandparents. Pretty unusual. We also have this wonderful village of friends who love and support us in so many ways. I love knowing that he will have so many people to boost him up as he takes on so many challenges in life. Possibly the best of all, he has a cousin only 6 months younger than him. They are going to be getting into trouble together in no time. How great is that, a best friend built right in.

current events

Staying in tune with things that are going on in your city, state, country and the world is important. Let me start out this rant by stating that I am not the person to ask this question to. I like knowing what is going on, but I know the headlines and a brief summary and could not give a lot of details on current events. However, talking with friends I realized how little I knew and some of them knew even less. Some of my friends, and my husband read the news every day and are very up to date. I want to be that way. I hate when I hear a conversation about a current event or issue that I know little or nothing about. I have goals to read more of the news and discuss these things with my friends and family. I think it is important to show support for your beliefs but how do you do that if you do not know what is going on. I also think friendly debates are not only appropriate, but necessary. Someone just might point out something you would not have thought of on your own. I think many people limit themselves to social issues or politics but in reality, we all should know a little about both of these things and not just what team is going to the championship for whatever sport is currently in season. My biggest challenge is asking questions, I have challenged myself to not feel dumb if I do not know what someone is talking about and to ask them to explain the issue or event to me. I'm not helping anyone by just standing idly and nodding.

"Parenthood"

I have written many times about my FAVORITE television family. I love the Braverman family. I think NBC has done a wonderful job writing in a character that everyone can relate to. I have things I like and dislike about every person but I feel like I have watched them grow and change. I am very distraught because this week marks the end to one of my very favorite shows. It is bittersweet to say farewell to them. (But I am glad it is not going to be drawn out like another one of my favorite shows- Grey's Anatomy.) Anyways, I had Peter binge watch from the beginning of the very first episode from the first season and get all caught up. We have cried together and yelled at the characters when we disagree with them. Rew-atching it all with him has made me love the show even more. It has created a lot of conversations and I think we have learned more about each other as we use their scenarios and talk about what we would do. We defend the characters we love, and play devils advocate against each other to look at all the sides of the situation. We admire the bond of the family and truly will miss the weekly drama. I say farewell to Parenthood the show as I prepare for parenthood in reality. Just for fun. Read this: 19 Signs You're The Adam Braverman Of Your Family

grown up friends

As most of my friends have grown up jobs and busy schedules we don't see each other as often as we did before all the responsibilities kicked in. I am pretty bad about making time and trying to get together, but then when we do I realize how much our friendships are cherished and why friends are so important. My friends are always supportive and there to pick me up when I am down. They are there for every big event and they are the family we choose to have. As I have grown up I realize that some friends get lost along the way, and I think the hard part is realizing that it is okay. People change and take different paths and you can wish them well and live on. I had a conversation this last weekend with a couple girlfriends about the opposite, and about being more open to new friends. I think that while I love my friends, I am very much in a bubble. It is not that I do not want to meet new people, but that I love the people in my life and want to make more time for them. I am so thankful for all the laughs an memories we have made and continue to make. I find myself smiling at the smallest texts and just enjoying the little things. We also have talked recently about actually doing things. We do not need to go out to eat every time to catch up, but a walk through the park, a hike, or an actual adventure of kayaking or doing something new together. That is how we create memories. From sitting around with a glass of wine (or water for me) and gossiping to whatever adventures will come, I am truly grateful for my friends, whether I see them every week, or every once in awhile. They are all a part of me. They have helped me as I have/am grown up and I hope that I have done the same for them.

Holidays

With all the changes of the last couple years I met my biggest challenge this year. The holidays as a married couple. My family is here, and Peter's family is in Missouri. When we first started dating, I missed a Thanksgiving to go home with him to meet his family. They really are great and I lucked out in the in-law department. The following year Peter was here for Thanksgiving, but as we were not married, we spent Christmas with our respective families. This year was different. We wanted to be together, but that meant "choosing a side". Since we live here and my family is here, I gave Peter the choice, Thanksgiving? or Christmas? He chose to spend Christmas in Missouri with his family. December got here and as we started packing our things, it got tough. I have ALWAYS been with my family on Christmas. We have a lot of family traditions and see both sides of our extended family between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I was getting emotional, not to mention, I was almost 6 months pregnant and extra hormonal. We had a great time with Peter's family. They always make me feel right at home and I loved being a part of a new tradition, but I missed my Christmas. This holiday season was a challenge, and I know there will be bigger challenges and more challenges like it. Marriage is a lot of compromise and family can make things complicated.

However Peter made me feel so much better, he knew that I was hang a hard time not being with my family and he talked with me about how our family will make our own traditions. We both have something we are used to but we are going to be able to do that now for our children. It might take us awhile to figure out what that is, but we get to create our own Christmas memories and that the important part is us being together.

Love & Marriage

scared. happy. anxious. overwhelmed. excited. loved. These are a few of the feelings I felt leading up to my wedding day. A commitment to one person and trusting them to be there for you is a lot. Boy oh boy, has it been wonderful. Sure, everyone has their ups and downs but having someone to share everything with is wonderful. I love having adventures and secrets and always having a partner every step of the way. Someone who is there to reason with me, but also argue with me. Someone to help me weigh the pros and cons when I am making a decision but who ultimately supports me whatever I choose. No, we do not always agree and we are far from "perfect" but we are us and this is our story that we are beginning.

We found out very soon after our wedding day that we are going to be parents. Again, the scared, happy, anxious, overwhelmed, excited and loved feelings. All at once. Another human is joining us. Not only are we going to be completely responsible for his well being, but we he is going to look to us as he learns, well, everything. Right now, I could not be more excited. I love children, and I always have. The joy of having my own child is too much to describe. I am quite scared of the intense labor process but whenever I start to worry about that I think about this little one inside me, kicking away and what he will be like when he joins us. It will all be worth it. The sleepless nights and all the cries are what is making us a family and we will all grow together.

When I grow up...

So, last May I finished my credential program. It was a challenge that I thought would never end, and was so excited to finish and grateful for my friends and family who helped me through it. I was substituting and planning my wedding, so job searching took a place on a back burner. I decided I would spend my time substituting. I love it. I have had some challenging jobs because all classes are different but it has been challenging and rewarding. I have had short term jobs as well as long term positions. I had a great time working and meeting new staff members as well as teaching in different environments. I love it. The more I substitute, the more I wonder what I want to do. Originally the "plan" was to apply for a full time position and have my own classroom. Now, I have a whole new look and I love the flexibility and newness of substituting. I still am not 100% sold on what I want to do when I grow up, but I am so excited to see what life brings.