Happy New Year Everyone!
I'm sitting at swim team practice right now. It's my first carpool night of 2014. Sinobia has been out from swimming for about 3 weeks. What started as "just a cold" ended up being close to 2 weeks out of school and 3 weeks from swimming after her asthma resurfaced from a 2 year hiatus. I am thankful that 2014 has greeted all of us in good spirits and in good health.
2013 was a year of changes and transitions for our family. We made it through the college process and shed less tears than expected during our Senior year moments, watched Sinobia become a beast in the water as she mastered her butterfly stroke, hosted our first exchange student and then sent Gabby to Spain to be hosted by a family, graduated our first born from high school and sent her across the country to college and attended "Freshman Information Night" for our "Class of 2018" Sinobia!
2013 was the first year that we let Sinobia travel without us, sending her on two trips, one to Italy and one to Virginia Beach.
It was the first time we spent a New Years eve without our children...Sinobia was in Italy and Gabby was at her first concert without me.
2013 validated that our family is strong and resilient; as we stuck together through thick and thin.
2013 was the year that Eric and I realized that, although challenging at times, we've kinda got this parenting thing under control.
2013 was the first year that our family spent Thanksgiving without Gabby.
2013 is the year that I started to realize that my children didn't need me so much, and that I needed to start taking care of myself.
2013 is the year that I remembered to tell my colleagues how much I appreciate them, more often.
2013 was the year that, after 5 years, I finally let go of my iPhone 1 and upgraded to the iPhone 5. With this upgrade, I discovered instagram and quickly became a part of the "social media" world. I'm now addicted to instagram (but still not on Facebook)!
So many memories from 2013, but we are looking forward to making even more memories in 2014. As our children continue to grow up, our lives will continue evolving and changing. Eric and I are still growing as well. Every year we discover new things about ourselves and begin to pay closer attention to the adults/people/parents/partners that we have become. 2014 will bring more growth for us as well.
In 2014 we will continue to be thankful for all the love and camaraderie that we have in our Aiden clan. We will cherish our moments together and hope for many more memory making years together.
We wish all the best for you and your family in 2014. Thanks for following our family's journey.
