every year as the year comes to an end, i like to look back and reflect on all that happened that year. whether it is something as simple and happy as celebrating another year alive on this earth, or reminiscing about a great trip we took, there is always so much good in every year, and i love to look back on it. of all my years here, 2011 was perhaps the best year of all, for obvious reasons (like the fact that you were born :)). some sad things also happened this year, so the following list isn't just the good things that happened, but the most significant events of 2011.
without further ado, here is our top 11 most significant events of 2011, in chronological order:
1) grandma cindy moved out of her house in park city. obviously this wasn't a happy memory of this past year, but a really sad one. her house sold in january and she was given two weeks to move out and find a new place to live. i think i have blocked this memory from my mind, to the point that it almost feels like it never happened, even though i have that constant reminder that she doesn't live in the house i grew up in each time we go up and visit her. so many people were so supportive of grandma, and rushed to her aid, helping her pack and find a new place to live. i will never ever forget the love and support she received from her friends and so many members of our family, the least of which was me. i really regret not being there for her during this difficult time...my only excuse was that i was just so sad. she lived with heidi and david hansen for seven months, while she was looking for somewhere more permanent to live. in september she started renting out the ewell's basement, up in park city. she is now back in the ward i grew up in, and loving it. i am so happy and relieved she found somewhere that she feels safe and a place to call home.
2) all my baby showers. this may seem like a weird one, but i will always feel so grateful for the love and support offered to me by so many people as we got ready to welcome you into this world. i was given showers by family, my friends, grandma's friends and our ward in here woods cross, and each one was very memorable. we were spoiled rotten baby finn, and given so much by so many people. definitely a highlight!
3) your best friends birth's. i'm sure this seems like a weird one too, but the day(s) your friends were born were happy ones for our family too! it was so fun being pregnant with some great friends, and seeing as they gave birth to some little boys and girls that i know you'll be friends with forever. mr. krew clark was born march 22. truthfully, i was a little (or maybe a lot) jealous that jen got to have him so early, but mostly just happy and relieved he was safe and healthy. after finding out that he was breech, i'm sure they were a little nervous and worried, and i felt that nervousness too, on behalf of our friends. he was born healthy and strong, and is an adorable little dude, with the best head of hair and the most beautiful blue eyes. mr. locke phippen was born march 30, and he too is an adorable little dude with a great head of hair and beautiful blue eyes! mr. max halverson was born april 7, and miss madi mcconnel on june 3, and they are both as adorable as can be. i have said this many times, but i am just so happy that you have so many friends, all of whom have wonderful parents. i hope we all stay close for many years to come. :)
5) welcoming you into this world. obviously the highlight of the entire year.....more like the highlight of my entire life!! so much so, that i am in tears right now just thinking about it. :) nothing can prepare a woman (or a man, i'm sure) for that moment, when you hear that cry and meet your beautiful newborn for the very first time. i remember being kind of scared, wondering if i'd know how to hold you and what to say to you. but it all came so natural, and as i was lying there in that bed, holding my baby boy who i had been waiting patiently (or sometimes not so patiently ;)) for, seeing you look into my eyes because you recognized my voice.....that was, and is, heaven on earth. i have never felt happier, and will always feel so grateful that heavenly father entrusted me with the opportunity and responsibility of taking care of one of his precious children here on the earth. i love you more than i could ever describe, baby finn. your birthday was definitely the happiest day of my life. :)
6) watching you grow and develop. being a mom is the coolest thing in the world. i am so thankful for the opportunity to stay at home with you all day...to be there for all of your milestones and achievements. it is so crazy how something as seemingly simple as hearing you "talk" for the first time....seeing you smile...watching as you start to figure your world out...can be the best and most significant parts of my days and weeks. while being a parent can be scary and overwhelming at times, the rewards are all the love and sense of achievement we feel as we see you figure things out. you have grown so much in your nine months here....it is amazing and i am so thankful for the opportunity to be on this journey with you.
7) our lovely train accident. obviously this is another lowlight of the year. i don't even know what to say about it, except that i still have nightmares from that awful day. i feel like most people don't understand it, because you had to be there to know what i'm talking about. and even for those that were involved in it, i almost feel like you had to have a 2 1/2 month old baby to know what i was going through. :( i was so worried for you baby finn. that was the moment that i understood just how much responsibility and weight comes with being a mom. i know i shouldn't think about "what could have happened," but i can't help myself thinking that if the truck had hit us just a few seconds later you and dad might not be here. instead i just need to realize that we are still here for a reason. we have a purpose to fulfill on this earth, and i am so thankful to heavenly father for watching over us that awful day.
8) friendunion 2011. this year we started the tradition of going on a trip with all our friends, and it is something i hope we will continue in all the years to come, because it was a blast. in september we spent 3 days up in jackson hole, wy, with the clarks, walker's, mcconnel's, ferrell's and the halverson's. we all stayed in a condo up by teton village, and spent our days shopping, exploring, golfing, river rafting and taking care of you kiddos. our nights were spent cooking and eating dinner and playing games. i know i will cherish these memories for a lifetime and can't wait for the memories that are to come. we are so lucky to have such a great group of friends.
9) weddings. this year we were fortunate enough to be able to attend the weddings of two people who mean so much to us. aunt tiffany and uncle kevin were married june 25th, in the oakland temple. although our trip out there (see: 'train accident,' above) was less than ideal, we made it there safe and sound, and with enough time to take a shower and get cleaned up a bit (although not all the way, because my luggage - with all my clean underwear, clothes and toiletries - were left on the train). ;) it was so great to be in the temple with both of dad's sister's and their spouses, and to be able to spend a little bit of time with them afterword. grandpa jeff and grandpa wendy were married october 22nd, at the little church of the west in las vegas. the weather was perfect, and you looked like a freakin stud. we are so grateful that we were able to be a part of their big day as well.
10) the holidays. christmas is always my favorite time of year, and it was no exception this year...in fact, it was even better than it usually is. i had so much fun decorating our house, hosting and attending christmas parties, seeing all the lights around town, going to temple square and j wongs, christmas shopping, listening to and singing christmas carols, eating yummy holiday food, etc etc...the list could go on and on! i mostly had fun christmas eve and christmas day, carrying out our usual christmas traditions, but this time with you there to celebrate with. it was definitely a christmas to remember!
11) dad surprising me with a new car! dad and i have always talked about our achievable "dream cars." you know, the cars we would want to drive if circumstance and finances allowed. well, my dream car has always been a lexus is250 (like grandma cindy's), and dad's has always been a cadillac. well, imagine my surprise when just this past thursday dad pulled into our driveway with a lexus! i was actually upstairs watching tv (you were taking a nap), when dad came in and said, "come out here, i want to show you something." i think i rolled my eyes, and thought to myself, "what now?" well when i opened the garage door i saw the most beautiful car in the world parked in our driveway, and dad said, "you want it??" i took it for a drive around the block, thinking just how wonderful it would be to drive such a fancy schmancy car, and when i got home dad said it was mine if i wanted it!! i feel so lucky that we get to drive this car, not only because it's sooooo nice, but mostly because i feel safe in it. i hope we'll be safe in it, anyway. so goodbye subaru (which i really did like), and hello lexus!
there you have it. a year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and a year i will never, ever forget. here's to seeing what 2012 has in store for us, and hoping it is just as wonderful as 2011.
love you dude.
love,
mom
