“What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment.  And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new.  Right now.” – Author Unknown

The last 365 days have been filled with milestones, life lessons and memorable moments that have been forever woven into the fabric of my life. These memories and milestones have worked together in perfect harmony to bring me to this very moment. Right here. Right now.

Though opportunities, possibilities and memorable moments are waiting to be discovered in 2011, I’m compelled to reminisce about the memories and milestones that made the past year an amazing one.

Milestones

Alana grew leaps and bounds in 2010. The last 12 months were filled with a slew of milestones for my youngest child and the very last baby I’ll ever have. Alana said her first word, learned to crawl and took her first steps in just.one.year. As she continues to develop, grow and come into her own, I can’t help but feel like these milestones - these last first’s – are bittersweet. Alana is growing so fast and I’m excited to see what the future has in store for the youngest member of our family.

My son Andre started high school this year. The mischievous, dinosaur-loving little boy I once held in my arms has grown into a tall, independent and respectful young man. That he’ll be leaving my nest in just a few short years is unimaginable and sadly, inevitable. The enormity of my role as a mother has weighed so much more on my heart now than ever before. Though preparing Andre for life in the great big world is something I fear, I am so blessed to have the privilege to do so.

Memorable Moments and Life Lessons

The last 365 days were filled with the stuff that only memorable moments are made of. Smile-making, life changing, heart-wrenching and oh-so-hilarious moments that doubled as life lessons as well. Memorable moments and life lessons seem to go hand in hand. I truly believe that learning bits and pieces from each and every one of our experiences is what life is all about.

Here are some of the memorable moments and life lessons that made my 2010 the wonderful year that it was…

Over the summer, we packed up our family of 6 and moved from Georgia to Missouri. We lived in a cramped hotel room with our 4 children and our still-hadn’t-been-potty-trained puppy while we searched feverishly for a new home. In just 3 short weeks I put a fire out in our hotel room, dealt with a never-ending pile of laundry and cleaned poop off the hotel room carpet. By the end of our hotel stay we were restless and sick to death of looking at each other, but somehow we managed to survive the whole ordeal.

Life lesson? Never stay in a hotel with your husband, 4 kids and an insomniac puppy who hasn’t been potty trained.

In addition to our big move in 2010, I learned a lot about what it takes to be a good parent. Like letting go and giving them the freedom to discover their world and their place in it. Learning to be more supportive of their ambitions and taking the time to really listen. But the most valuable parenting lesson I took away from this past year is that leaving a toddler unattended is never a good idea. Especially if she has access to your box of tampons.

I also learned that taking a photo of my sleeping husband with a tampon in his mouth and posting it on my blog, facebook and Twitter is an awesome form of payback. That’s what he gets for forcing me to smell his farts.

Opportunities, Possibilities and Memorable Moments in 2011

I’m beyond excited about the new opportunities, endless possibilities and memorable moments that have yet to unfold and be woven into the fabric of my life. 2011 is finally here and with it, a clean slate. The time to start living and loving out loud has arrived and you better believe that I’m ready!

Happy New Year to you all.