Top 11 in 2011

11. Trip to Washington to visit the brother and his family.

10. Girls trip to California. Sad for the reason we went but it was good to be with them.

9. 2nd Makenzie's Live, Laugh, Breathe Fundraiser

8. Celebrated Makenzie's 2nd Birthday and 2nd Angel Day

7. Celebrated 5 years of marriage

6. Ryan got his big buck 

5. Sold our beautiful black truck and bought the forever broken white one... 

Still not seeing the benefits of the lower truck payment :(

4. Lots of Cabin trips.

3. Lots of Utah football games.

2. Baby Gracie...

(We brought BIG SISTER stuff to Kenzie to tell her the news)

1. Sperm Donor, 3 rounds of IUI and praying for a baby.

A new year is for fresh starts. New beginnings. Dreams and Goals. While making my top 11 in 2011 (thanks Ash for the idea) I had a hard time trying to narrow down our top 11 to just 11. I hate saying 2011 was a horrible year, Although I have left that year with a big old.. screw you... while my fist waved in the air, I have to know there were lots of good times. Lots of laughs. Lots of love and friendships made. This year really did a number on our lives. I look at what our life was January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011... Its almost hard to find things that are still the same. So much is different. Although some of those things are really hard. Others are refreshing. Change isn't always bad. 

We are still here. We have our health. We have hope and faith. We have love and endless amounts of support from so many people. We are blessed.

When you have a fresh start you want to make things better. You want to do things that will improve your life. As I think about this year there are so many things I want to do and accomplish. 

My list keeps growing.

... Get my associates, start at a university to get my bachelors, get Ryan through 1 his first year of school, go on a trip, pay off bills, sell our house, go skydiving, learn a new skill, paint our bedroom, make amends with certain people, have a baby, cook more, serve more...

The list could go on for miles.

But the biggest thing that I am looking for with this new year is finding myself. Learning who I really am. Making sure I am on the right path. Doing what I can for others. Giving of myself. Making a difference. Loving bigger and forgiving faster.

Life is short. 

There is no time to worry about what other thinks of you, hurt feelings, rude comments or selfishness.

We all have much to give. We all can do better. I pray at the end of this year I can look at myself and smile. Smile at what I have done, smile at what I accomplished and know I am still here and still living.

Living for the right reasons.