This year….
I rang in the New Year in flip flops and a tank top dancing swing, cha cha, and mambo in front of a huge crowd in the heart of Canberra
I spent 4 months being uncomfortably pregnant
I spent 13 hours with contractions less than 5 minutes apart, and brought a baby girl into the world exactly how I planned – completely naturally without any medication. On April 26th at 8:30am, I morphed from a childless woman into a Mother and I held my silent, calm, perfect baby girl for the first time.
I fell perfectly into Motherhood – I relished the ability to snap back into my pre-pregnancy body in a week, loved that my baby slept for 12-hour-stretches, and felt completely at ease with this new little being. I was incredibly grateful.
I was present for every single “first” for Tanami – the first time she smiled, laughed, grabbed a toy, sat up, crawled, pulled her self up, ate solid food, stood by herself – I know every sound, cue, and communication she makes.
I spent 9 months in a country I have come to know as home. I savored every moment because I knew it would be coming to a end this year.
I went to the coast, to the mountains, and to the city (Sydney). I went to museums, on bush walks, and was surrounded by wildlife.
I trained an incredible lady to take over my role after opening an Interior Design sector of the kitchen company. I then started a new business venture upon returning to the States.
We payed off $30,000 of my student loan and made of goal of a 20% down payment on a house.
We celebrated our third wedding anniversary, his 34th birthday, and my 27th birthday.
We returned as a family to a country we had once left as a couple. We overcame obstacles, battled negativity, and found our way again.
I changed – for the better, the worse, my self, my child, the way I thought, the way I ate, my outlook, my circumstances, my beliefs.
I’ve learned from my mistakes and successes. I’m not the same person I was this day one year ago, and I hope that this day one year from now I am not the same person I am today.