2010 Year in Review

Five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand Moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights
In cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes
How do you measure A year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love? Measure in love
Seasons of love. Seasons of love

Five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes!
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Journeys to plan.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life
Of a woman or a man?

In truths that she learned,
Or in times that he cried.
In bridges he burned,
Or the way that she died.

It’s time now to sing out,
Tho’ the story never ends
Let’s celebrate
Remember a year in the life of friends
Remember the love!
Remember the love!
Seasons of love!

Oh you got to got to
Remember the love!

You know that love is a gift from up above
Share love, give love spread love
Measure measure your life in love.

*Season of Love – Rent Soundtrack

This was a banner year for me.  You know you are truly blessed when each year is better than the last.  Mine continue to get better and we welcomed another gorgeous Diva into our home.

I am moving on from infertility.  I am so done with that part of my life.  I will never truly know the impact that it has had on me because I will never know a life without it.  Do you know how long it took me to be okay with that?  Too long, really, but that was my journey. That was the road that I was meant to travel.  And you know what?  Sometimes it is all about the Destination.  Today it is.  I have reached my destination at the end of that infertility journey and now I am off on a new one!  This is one journey that I don’t want to miss.

I am also, officially, closing the door on having more children.  I am at that place of peace with it.  I am now ready to take permanent measures.  I am ready to pack up the last of the baby items and give them away.  Donate them.  They have served me well but I am done having babies.  It finally feels good to say that out loud. Our family is complete.  The Rumour Mill 5.

Just the 5 of us.

*Photo by Marlene Fast

Piper turns five this year and will start school in the fall.  2010 was my last calendar year with a house full of preschoolers and infants.  I will soon have a child in primary school. Even though I know that I will cry on that first day of school, I am really excited for her.  I can’t stop her from growing up so I might as well embrace her milestone and celebrate each and every one (no matter how big or how small they are).  I am planning a special day for her on that first day.  The details of which, I have yet to decide but it is a big day for our family.  A big day for her.

Our third and final child, a daughter we named Quinn, arrived on March 23, 5 weeks early.  I cannot believe how quickly time passes.  The days may seem long, but the years are short.   It seems like just yesterday that I was worried about her early arrival.  Just yesterday that I heard her cry for the first time.

Craig’s parents came out and were here for her birth.  I can’t imagine how much this must have meant for Craig.  They had planned/hoped to be here for Davilyn’s arrival but then she arrived 6 weeks early.  They certainly helped us out because the day they arrived, I ended up in the hospital.  Then a few weeks later I was there again having Quinn.  I’m glad that they were able to be here for us.  For Craig.

In June our Davi Doodle turned 2 and we celebrated!  My little spitfire with all her little friends partied until the sugar wore off.  I could have sworn (to the diaper genie) that it was her that I was just bringing home from the hospital.  How is she suddenly two years old.

In July we took one unforgettable family road trip.  I can’t wait for the next one!  I can only imagine that our time together as a family will continue to be that much fun.  The girls exceeded my expectations and, believe it or not, spending all that time in the van with them was FUN!  We loved our little camping adventure.

The fall saw us running to the hockey rink on a regular basis.  Once Piper started asking to play hockey (before she turned 2) I knew we would become hockey parents.  She gets something in her head and doesn’t easily forget about it.  Especially if it is something that she wants to do.

It’s been fun.  It gets us out of the house when the temperatures dip below freezing.  I can only imagine how hectic life will be if we end up with 3 Divas in hockey.  I am actually looking forward to it.

We spent our first Christmas alone and it was good.  Ideally, I would love to wake up in my own home and have a quiet Christmas morning with my little family and then venture off to my parent’s home (or Craig’s parents’ or my sister’s place) or have them here.  That’s not our reality.  Not when they live hundreds of kilometers (my parents and sister) or thousands of kilometers (Craig’s family) away.  So when we decided we were staying home even if that meant that no one could be here with us, I was a bit sad.  I am so glad we did it though.  I wanted my girls to wake up in their own beds.  I want them to have memories of our Christmases together.  Just like I have memories from my childhood.

So that brings us to now.  A new year is spreading out before us and a completely new chapter is beginning in our life.  If I told you that I was not looking back over my shoulder, I would be lying.  I am going to miss these years.  These fleeting moments when I had a preschooler, a toddler and an infant in the house.  Even though I will miss it, I am embracing what is to come.

If 2011 is even half the year that 2010 was…. I am still blessed beyond measure, one lucky Mama and a spoiled Wife. You were grand 2010 but bring on 2011! Wishing you all love and happiness as you embark on your journey in 2011.

Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.
Oprah Winfrey