11 months down! From here on out we get to count down weeks and days instead of months!
December was the one month of the year that I really wanted to spend with J. It is our month – it’s when we celebrate both of our birthdays, our wedding anniversary, holiday parties, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. It was hard for both of us to be apart for all of that. Luckily this month was really busy so it was seemingly the shortest month of the entire year. Time has crawled by since J left but it has certainly picked up speed now that we’re in the home stretch.
J and I both turned 40 years old this month! My birthday was a bit more fun than J’s because of our locations but we’ll make it up to him next year. C and I took a trip and spent three nights in Orlando. We spent a day in Animal Kingdom, a day in the Magic Kingdom, and we stopped at Disney Springs to visit with Santa. Nothing beats a birthday at Disney! I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about turning 40, but they are mostly of relief as there were many times in my life when I didn’t think I’d make it this far. I’m not sad at all about turning 40 – I was ready for my 30s to be over and I am ready for this new decade to start, especially with J, C, and Dulce by my side.
J and I celebrated our 9 year wedding anniversary this month… although being military couple, we’ve only physically been together for about five of those nine years if you add up all of our time apart. In our nine years of marriage, we’ve lived in 2 states and 1 other country, we’ve moved five times, had six home addresses, traveled to 11 other countries together, went through two deployments and uncountable shorter trips apart, adopted a rescue dog, and had a child. It’s an adventure and we’ve been through a lot but I love J and I love our life and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
C’s class had a holiday party before the winter break. She and I went shopping for decorations, snacks, drinks, and a craft in Orlando before heading home from my birthday trip and I stayed up late that night getting everything ready for the party the next day. Somehow I got everything done and the party was perfect. I’m so thankful that I have the time and resources to volunteer and be part of things like this! When I was a teacher, I was forever grateful for my parent volunteers so I want to do the same for C’s teachers.
Our squadron had a holiday party for all of the kids. C and I baked 40 sugar cut-out cookies to take for a cookie decorating table at the party. C always has a great time running through the halls and rooms with the other children and I enjoy talking to the spouses I don’t see often enough.
My grandma, C’s great-grandma, arrived for a long visit just before Christmas. C has never gotten to spend more than a few days with her so we are blessed to have a few weeks to spend with her!
We went to church on Christmas Eve and then watched a movie before going to bed in our new Christmas jammies. C left a plate out for Santa that included a few cookies and an orange along with a bottle of water. She said he “needs something healthy since he has milk and cookies everywhere else.”
We spent all of Christmas Day at our house, cooking and eating, playing with new toys, watching movies, and video chatting with family. J was able to video chat with us in the morning when C was opening presents. It was such a nice, peaceful day. I don’t mind traveling for other holidays but I really love spending Christmas at our own house.
C was very excited for Santa this year! Her two requests from him which she did receive were an American Girl Bitty Baby and a locket necklace. Dulce got a Nylabone mulitpack from Santa – she tried all of the flavors that morning and decided that the peanut butter bone was her favorite.
I had a great time cooking our Christmas meal. It was entirely dairy free and included an organic pasture-raised whole chicken roasted in the oven, stuffing (called dressing here in the south), sweet potato casserole, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pecan bars, and three types of cookies. We had leftovers for days.
New Year’s Eve hasn’t been a celebration since C was born. She was asleep by 10 so I spent the evening cleaning and setting up my new planner (I’m doing a bullet journal for the first time this year) so that I could start the new year fresh and organized. I was still awake at midnight so I sent a message to J, who in turn audio called me back. It was so special to have the first person I talked to in the new year be him! I’m one of those people who loves the New Year. I love the idea of a fresh start, I love getting new calendars and journals, and I love the feeling of new possibilities.
This new year, 2018, is going to be wonderful… I can feel it.
Month 11 Events:
- I turned 40 – C and I took a trip to Disney
- J and I had our 9th wedding anniversary
- J turned 40
- We went to our squadron kids holiday party
- My grandma, C’s great-grandmother, arrived for a long visit
- Christmas!
- We bid farewell and so long to 2017 – Happy New Year!
Month 11 Accomplishments:
- I put together C’s class holiday party
- I replaced our broken garbage disposal all by myself
- We completed our journey through the year 2017!
Onto month 12!
*******
“I release the past and bless this past year with love. I am grateful for all I have experienced and learned. This new year begins a new adventure, and I look forward to it eagerly!”
~Louise Hay