Accidental Reflections on 2012

As someone who has intentionally and professionally chosen an altered "year" calendar... I still find myself thinking through the past calendar year and thinking about the good, the bad, the in between, and the life that happened all mixed throughout. I've grown accustomed to using the school year calendar (August-June) to make new goals for myself as that is how my brain is programmed to keep track of time and events. For those of you out of school... do you ever fully stop using a school calendar to think about life?!? It just seems like something that we are all used to because that is how we got our start....

Anyway, needless to say, I've found myself making some new-year-flavored goals over the past week or so. And really, its more of a "think-about-this-past-year-and-weave-what-I've-learned-into-2013" sorta thing. I get weary around using the term "goals" especially with New Year's timed resolutions... I've had many years to practice these and my record for maintaining them was all the way through June...and that was just to remember to take my vitamins everyday! =/

Anyway, this year has been quite eventful, especially life-eventful. The two biggest markers that immediately come to mind was Gurley passing away in March, and me ***FINALLY*** getting my teaching credential!!! You can imagine, two pretty big events with lots of mixed emotions thrown in the mix. While I can sit here and remind you of all the good, bad and emotional that went on with those two events (read past blogs if you're so inclined) I thought it would be better to share with you what I have continuously learned this year and why it will remain my top priority in 2013.

Every year, and life for that matter, is full of those "type" of events, those extreme ones in some case or another, that typically become timeline markers throughout the year. But as I think beyond those events, I can't help but think how the only way all things are manageable are because of the friends and family that get you through and walk through them with you and celebrate when it is time to celebrate and let you lean on them when you just can't lean on yourself anymore. This year was a HUGE blessing in building, strengthening, and maintaining relationships with friends and family. What I've learned is that when my focus is on those around me, real life comes into that and fills the gaps.

Because this is a bit of year-in-review post, here are some highlight pictures from this year!

The year started out right with great friends and great laughs! 

Winter Camp 2012 with these love bugs! 

Day adventures for girl time! 

Born in the '80s so let's celebrate in the '80s! Love this girlie! 

Spring Break Adventures with the one and only Sugartits Sugatits TITS!! 

These two helped immensely to get to the finish line in the program! 

We did it! Time to celebrate baseball style!!!! 

ALWAYS time for a Giants game! What a good year for them as well!!! 

Baseball game with the family

Lots to celebrate this year- Congrats Coco! 

The Nest and Dinosaur Land! Three Legged Dog Relaxing vacation 2012! 

Best Week at Frontier Ranch with these girls!!! You are ALL going big places in life! 

Finally got to go to La Quinta with my aunties and cousins from the 21+ crowd! Such a special weekend! 

Extra fun cousin time! 

Happy and wonderful colorful co-workers!! 

Roomie is getting MARRIED!!!!

 

Mexico 2012- GIRLS WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE THE BRIDE TO BE!!! 

Congrats to the MRS! 

And that's just the tip of the ice berg! So as you can see its the people that get you through the timeline markers. 2012 was evidence enough for me! So here's to a 2013 in which the value of relationships goes nowhere but up!