**Letting Go**

I'm feeling the need to move on from some people in my life - not to be mean or vengeful, just so that I can have less stress, and more peace in my life.  I can't change people, and some people don't want to change, or can't change, because they can't see who they are, or how they affect others.  Also, sometimes relationships don't work out because people don't "fit", and that's just life.  So, I'm letting go, and I won't be looking back.

"Letting go doesn't mean giving up, but rather accepting that there are things that cannot be." ~ Anon

**2012**

Another new year...already!  2011 zipped by, didn't it?  This is what I blogged at the beginning of 2011:

Time really does fly! My girls are 10 and 7 1/2 already, and this time with them is precious, so I look forward to this year ahead with them - watching them live, grow, and learn.
In 2011, I, also, hope to get healthy by eating healthful foods and moving more. I hope to spend more alone time with my husband. I hope to continue to spend time with friends. I hope to spend more time with my parents, my sister and her boys. I hope to take more field trip with my girls. I hope to read more books. I hope to blog more.


I did get a bit more healthy in 2011.  I lost almost 30 pounds, and I exercise on a regular basis now.  I did spend more time with my nephews - I made lots of visits to their house, and they spent the night with us, at least, once a month.  Unfortunately, I don't feel like I spent a whole lot of time with my parents and my sister, so I'm going to keep working on this.  I, definitely, spent less time on my friendships this year (dealing with busy schedules and, also, some other issues), but I'm hoping to work on these friendships.  I did not have much alone time with my husband.  He is VERY busy with work, but we need to make our relationship a priority, so this is, definitely, something we need to work on.  I, obviously, spend alot of time with my girls already, but I want to work on spending more individual time with each of the girls, which was a goal I did not meet last year, so I'll be working on this, too.


I feel like 2012 is going to be another busy year, BUT that doesn't mean it has to be a stressful one.  I just need to learn to throw in some fun on the busy days, so the stress doesn't get the best of us, which can sometimes happen.  I'm looking forward to this year - it's going to be good!

**Happy Holidays**

This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays!
~ D.M. Dellinger

**Goodbye**

This is Terry and Rita (my parent's best friends):

Terry died early this morning.  I am heartbroken, and so, terribly, sad for his family.  Only 63 years old, and gone too soon.


Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. ~From a headstone in Ireland

**Loss**

My parents have been best friends with another couple, Rita and Terry, for over 40 years - how wonderful is that?  Well, about six months ago, Terry was diagnosed with cancer, and he just found out the treatments didn't work, and he is going to die soon.  I'm so, so sad.  I'm sad for my parents who are going to lose one half of this couple who has been in their lives for so long.  I'm sad for Rita and Terry's kids and grandchildren.  I'm sad for Rita - I can't imagine how hard it's going to be for her to be without Terry.  And, of course, I'm sad for Terry who is at the end of his life, way too soon.  He deserves to have another twenty or thirty years, but, unfortunately, cancer does not discriminate.  Terry is a such a nice man, and I hate that this has happened to him.  Cancer sucks, plain and simple.

Imagine

Imagine there's no cancer,

It's easy if you try,

No pain or suffering,

Or waiting just to die.

Imagine all the people,

Living worry free,

Without that ticking time bomb,

That no one else can see.

You may say I'm a dreamer,

But I'm not the only one,

That hopes the world will be cancer-free,

So we can live as one.

Author ~ Michelle Rosa

**Really?**

I'd like to slap some sense into this woman.  Yea, that's right, that's my solution - slap the idiot!  Okay, so it wouldn't solve anything, but it sure would make me feel good!

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/12/01/379359/michele-bachamann-gays-should-marry-people-of-the-opposite-sex/

**No Baby Photos**

Today, Aubree saw baby photos of Brenna, Dave, and myself, and then she asked, "Where's my baby picture?" - this is the first time the topic has come up since we brought her home 7+ years ago, and it broke my heart to have to tell her that we don't have infant pictures of her.  She, immediately, walked out of the room, and I followed her to find she had tears rolling down her cheeks.  I swear, my heart stopped for a second because I knew there was nothing I would be able to say to make her pain go away.  It's normal to want to know what you looked like when you were born.  It's something we're all curious about, but it's something my daughter will never know.  We can give Aubree some basic facts about her first sixteen months of life - the city and country she was born in, the name of her birth mother, and the name of the orphanage she lived in, and, hopefully, one day, this information will fill in some blanks for her, but the fact that she has no baby photos is something I can never fix.  I hate that there will always be missing pieces in her life.