So, 2011 is in the books. In many mays the year was just another in the uninterrupted stretch of adulthood. Family, responsibilities, mortgage payments, birthday parties. The predictable minutiae that make up our lives.
In someways we were lucky. We lost an acquaintance, but no family members – no loved ones. Jimmy’s dad, while weakening from 14 years of Parkinsons, is still with us. My grandmother, at 94, provides a link to the past. Jimmy’s job has kept him busy at a time when many others are struggling.
The girls are awesome. They are growing up so quickly. While we have the ubiquitous bickering, the clouds part occasionally and we hear how nicely they can talk to each other. Seeing the individual relationships form between them warms our hearts in ways we could not have expected.
When we started the year, our house was gutted – in the middle of a massive renovation. We were living in a river cottage an hour away, commuting daily and shivering at night when the furnace stopped working. By March, our home was finished, we were back in Richmond and enjoying the extra space and neighbors. And in November, we came full circle, when we agreed to buy a new home and start the process again.
Emma’s preschool days gave way to Kindergarten. SweetBabyJane’s crib turned into a big-girl bed. MagPie’s imagination came alive and provided countless hours of entertainment.
What did I learn from 2011? I tapped into reserves of strength I did not know I had. The endless days of commuting ended. The running began again. I got faster, and leaner, than I’d ever been. I’m working on being a better mother, of leaving all my angst and impatience on the road, and saving the hugs for my girls that need them most.
But 2011 did not end, for me, on a high note. I am tired. More than I want to admit. I’m injured, and I fear this time a few rest days won’t help me heal. I have so many plans for the next 12 months, but all require me to be on my game, training smart, living well. The old uncertainty returns…can I do it?
The support of my husband and girls, along with the rest of my family, lifts me up. I feel God’s presence as I haven’t in a very long time. I am not a religious person, but the spirituality around me takes my breath away and opens my eyes to the possibilities of tomorrow.
Cheers to the old year, and Cheers to the new. Make 2012 count!
Run, Mommmy. Run! 