One year later.

It was one year ago, today.

I stayed home from work, mostly because I didn't want to go in, but also because I had a smidgen of illness on the side. Like, maybe, a sniffle. Or two. ...ok so it was mostly because I didn't want to work.

The morning went quite nicely - what with the 3 movies I watched in bed before my feet even hit the floor. The moment I decided to drive to Target to buy pregnancies tests "because I'd never taken one and that's what married people do periodically" is when things got crazy.

Fast forward: two positive tests later, I was nearly hyperventilating as I called Taylor in Amarillo to tell him.

Well, and then I confirmed, yet again, at a walk-in clinic. (You know, the one where the lady inadvertently called me fat.)

That was one year ago, today. The day I couldn't possibly imagine being a mom.

One year later, this little booger has completely turned our life upside down:

It's painful how cute he is, isn't it?

In the past year, I have:

• eaten my body weight in Arby's
• barely survived one of the hottest summers on record
• lost objects under my belly: a dinner napkin, tv remote, phone
• experienced the tragedy of suicide
• yelled at a librarian 
• moved to a neighborhood full of lovable crazies
• lost my job 
• hosted a Sex Party
• gotten in a wreck with a "thing"
• narrowly escaped a goat attack
• birthed an 8 pound baby
• eaten 3lbs of Jelly Bellies in one week
• spent a couple days in a NICU waiting room
• sang "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" as a duet
• stuck mustaches on my child's face until he wept
• gotten scammed by a high school girl and her "cookie fundraiser"
• hated cancer
• found baby poop in unimaginable places around the house
• cried a whole lot
• laughed even more
• made at least 27 new mom friends
• joined an incredible women's Bible study
• considered giving members of my immediate family away 
• read in the car in the driveway to keep the babe sleeping
• almost peed my pants waiting for the babe to wake up while I read in the car in the driveway
• dug through barf at Walmart
• harmonized with Baby Einstein at the top of my lungs
• appreciated and loved my husband deeply and in more ways than I can count
• fallen madly, stupidly in love with a chubby-cheeked, blue-eyed boy named Beckett
• begun to really grasp the overwhelming, unconditional love of God for his children

I totally didn't see my year going this route, but I can't tell you how thankful I am that it did. (A small reminder that God is in control, not me.) I could have gone without a few of those experiences - 3lbs of jelly beans, really? - but I can't imagine being any more blessed than I am today with my little family of 4 (yes, I still include my dog).

...

I don't have a good segue, so here's our Christmas card. Enjoy.

 

...and make your own 2011 list. I want to read about your highs, lows, and lowers (your "Arby's" if you will).