New Year's Reflection

I enjoyed using Andrea's form to reflect on the past year. In an effort to make myself more vulnerable, I thought I would share my reflections with you:

What did you create?

• A fun baby shower bowling party
• A fun birthday brunch
• A B-A-B-Y!
• A book about how to plan a meaningful and memorable wedding without losing your savings or sanity
• A website for the national organization I'm trying to start
• A rejuvenated look for this blog (thanks, Sebrina!)
  
• An outline for my next book
• A meal planning club
• A babysitting co-op

What challenges did you face with courage and strength?

• New motherhood was definitely a challenge for me. It honestly took (and continues to take) all the strength I have. I am unbelievably grateful for my sweet boy and thank the universe on a daily basis for keeping him safe, but the identify shift has been difficult for me.
  
• Trying to sell our house has been a difficult process that has filled me with insecurity and uncertainty.
  
• I'm incredibly thankful that my two biggest challenges are not really very bad at all.
  

What promises did you keep?

• I blogged regularly here.
• I ran Purposeful Conception courses regularly.
• I met my book deadline!
• I mailed pictures to the grandparents and updated our scrapbook every month.
• I mailed birthday cards throughout the year.
  

What brave choices did you make?

• I attempted to give birth at home.
• I'm attempting to sell our home FSBO.
  

What are you proud of?

• See everything I created.
• Working really hard to be the best mother I can be.
• Following through on a lot of promises to myself.
• Walking for almost an hour and a half almost every day.

What was disappointing?

• Transferring to the hospital after forty hours of labor at home and requiring Pitocin.
• Having a difficult time adjusting to new motherhood.
  
• Watching my blog traffic decline.
  
• Trying to partner with two different people to write a book about Montessori in the home and not having it work out.
• Listening to myself complain and whine a lot.
• Watching myself be jealous of other people's success.
• Resorting to food whenever I felt stressed, anxious, bored, tired.
  

What was scary?

• Getting diagnosed with cholestasis at the end of my pregnancy and having to decide between induction (because of the increased risk of stillbirth) and waiting.
• Recruiting board members for Montessori For All.
  

What was hard?

• Completely immersing myself in motherhood.
  

What can you forgive yourself for?

• Not learning Spanish like I promised I would.
  
• Procrastinating on my book.
• Not yet filing for 501(c)(3) status for Montessori For All like I had hoped to.
• Not reading as much fiction as I wanted to.

The next step is to say out loud, “I declare 2011 complete!”
How do you feel? If you don’t feel quite right, there might be one more thing to say…

2011, I just want to say that I am overwhelmed with gratitude for everything in my life. I have so much hope and optimism as I head into 2012 because of everything you brought into my life (and allowed me to bring into my life) in 2011.

The final step is to consider your primary focus for the year to come. What is your primary intention or theme for 2012?

2012 is the year to make dreams happen.

What is your primary intention or theme for 2012? I loved reading about Kelly's over at One Hundred Scarves.

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Today on 2000 Dollar Wedding: A letter to my dear book manuscript. It's turned in!

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