Holiday Letter 2011

Dear friends and family,

This has been a whirlwind of a year, and I can’t believe we’ve actually reached the end! So much has happened in 2011, making this one of my favorite years yet.

Earlier this year, DQ became a girl. It’s true. She traded in her tomboy looks for more feminine clothing and a bit of make-up. But not to worry, the skater shoes will never leave my pretty daughter’s feet. And I had a bit of a girl revolution myself, making a new step to nurture my female friendships instead of focusing solely on being a mom.

I also had to come to grips with the fact that my daughter is changing as she grows older – and that’s not such a bad thing.  While we’ve always been close, and I suspect we always will, this year I finally had to accept that some walls are ok to be in place between a mother and her teenage daughter.

As for the Taz, we actually survived the dreaded 4th grade Mission Project.  Ever have to do one of those?  Let’s just say I never thought I’d have a need to paint cardboard with sand-infused white paint, or ever have to unstick myself from so much hot glue.  Wait, whose project was it?

This year, the Taz also got to spend a ton more time on the pitcher’s mound.  It was incredible to see my son show his true talent and maturity in baseball, even if it still meant his forgetful nature never truly left…

Having done the single mom thing for so long, I learned the importance of asking for help. Of course, that single mom adventure came to a close when Mr. W asked our little family to move in with him in the spring, transforming us from a family of three to a family of five. The sudden changes, however, caused a little bit of strife – particularly with DQ. Middle school was already tough enough, as middle school usually is. However, a lesson from my own childhood taught me that a cup of coffee can go a really long ways.

This year I became friends with my thighs, finding beauty in my imperfections. I also discovered that imperfection could be beautiful in love as Mr. W and I got used to moving around each other in our newly blended home.

In October, all of our lives changed with one tiny question….. Mr. W asked me to marry him! We were on cloud nine….until we had to break it to the kids. Needless to say, they just didn’t take it that well. Fortunately, a family vacation gave us a chance to get used to the idea while also working at blending as a family. It’s been an uphill battle ever since, including a family adventure of picking out our first tree together as a family.

2011 holds so many wonderful memories, and 2012 has much to look forward to. Thank you for coming along with me on our adventures as they unfold.  Your comments, advice, and friendship have meant more than I can tell you!

Here’s to another New Year!

Love,
Crissi and family