Giving Thanks

I've been known to say that 2011 will go down in history as the worst year of my life (so far). It all began on January 5th...Baldo learned of his grandmother's passing the same day his company shut down leaving us stranded on a tiny island 6,000 miles away from home. The next few months were a whirlwind of packing, crying, moving, more crying, job applying, more crying, teaching, a LOT more crying...you get the picture.

All this time I've been trying to figure out what I need to learn from this terrible, awful year. I've known that life wouldn't always go the way I planned, and trials were unavoidable, but knowing it and experiencing it are two different things. I'm not proud of the attitude I've had during much of this time, but I'm finally starting to realize that my trials can either make me bitter or better.

I choose to be better.

Baldo and I have a blessed life, despite all of the terrible, awful roadblocks along the way. We're healthy, we both have jobs, we have awesome families and friends, and
we're having a baby.

I am learning to be thankful for this terrible, awful year. At least I know it will eventually end, and the next year will bring a whole new type of experience: Motherhood (and a 10 year high school reunion).

Bring it, 2012.