8 Months and Counting...

You could say this has not been the most "fun" year of my life. Certainly not carefree anyway. I have been caught off guard several times. The year is not quite over. In fact, the most exciting part of the year is yet to come--my nephew's birth! But I've learned about a LOT of different subjects thus far.

I've learned about landscaping, drainage, planting grass, fencing, installing pathways, buying a truck, taking care of and training dogs, fixing a bathroom vent. I've learned that anything can be taken apart and fixed, including dishwashers and vacuum cleaners. I've learned about being an aunt, what pregnancy is like, what childbirth is like, what parenting is like (not from my own personal experience, of course). I've learned that I don't need to keep everything and that "things" don't really matter. So I've gotten rid of a lot of "things." I've learned about nutrition. I've learned new recipes and cooking methods, how to keep a house clean (even if I don't do it all the time), that doing things for myself like going to aerobics makes me happier. I've learned about trusting people and not trusting people--and how to deal with people who are mad at me (justifiably so or not) without letting it absolutely crumble and consume me. I've learned about giving people the benefit of the doubt and cutting them some slack. We're all just doing the best we can, even if our best is not very good sometimes. I've learned it's better to do something right the first time, because you're just going to end up having to do it again. I've learned how to negotiate in my professional life--and how University politics work.

I don't want to be a hypocrite. I certainly haven't practiced all of these lessons. But they've all been very practical, and even if I won't ever have them perfected, I am "giving it a go." It is important to have supportive people around you--at the very least one person who is involved in your life everyday who will hold you accountable for the things you say and do. Having someone like that, in the flesh, keeps us grounded and helps us to keep growing and improving--rather than staying still and getting stagnant. My mom encourages us to only surround ourselves with positive things--images, people, situations, etc. It is so easy to be negative. We certainly don't need to add to it by purposefully allowing, and even inviting, negative things in our lives.

Yes, this is the year of learning. Thanks to my family and friends for being nothing but supportive and patient while I learn these things (again). Keep keeping me accountable!