This was supposed to be a year of big changes for me.  It would be awesome of this was a post about all the amazing things I accomplished and finished.  But it isn’t.  It also isn’t a post about how I failed miserably at all the things I wanted to accomplish (that certainly isn’t anyway to finish out the year–I’m pretty sure that I don’t have enough wine or endurance to drink all the failures away).

I sit here today on this last day of 2012 and look around my house and think about my family and I couldn’t be happier.  I won’t get consumed with all that I didn’t do (losing weight, getting in shape, paying down debt, finish my dissertation) and will look back in stead at all the moments over the year that really matter–watching my kids grow and see their personalities emerge.  They have both pushed more for independence, while at the same time have an inherent need for us to help them–this often leads to yelling and frustration.  But, I can’t imagine my life without these amazing kids.  I am so blessed and lucky to get to be their mom.

I know that 2013 holds a great deal of promise (this time next week I will be on my way to Thailand).  I get to travel to Asia, a continent I have not yet been too.  I get to rid elephants.  That I am so excited about as well as present my dissertation proposal and preliminaries findings at a conference.

I get to finish my doctorate (I hope to graduate next December).

It is a year of promise, as are all years.  A new beginning and I am looking forward to what the new year will bring and what I will bring to it.

I hope everyone found their way a little closer to their dreams and that 2013 brings you more of what you want and need.  I more than anything, hope I have the determination, endurance and will to achieve what I want in 2013.

I most of all want healthy, contentment and security.  It’s the simple things.

Here’s a look back at my 2012.  It was truly an amazing year.

End of year 2012 from Dawn Finley on Vimeo.
music: Water of Love by Mark Knopfler

There are 3 days left in 2011 and I have to say that it’s been a pretty amazing year.  Did I do everything that I wanted to?  No.  Did I do somethings that I didn’t know I wanted?  Yes.

I also struggle with and to be honest usually feel quite uninspired when the time comes to recap my year and think about next year.  Well, I can thank Kelly and her re-visioning of Joe’s suicide note.  Because there is no need to re-invent the wheel.  If all my years of teaching and program creation have taught me anything–they have taught me that the best ideas have already been had and there is no reason to not use those–just give credit.  So credit I give.

Things I Think Will Happen Next Year–I will begin writing my dissertation in earnest after finishing data collection and come into my own as an academic.  I will blog more because it is important to me and I love writing.  So much of the writing I do on a daily basis is academic in nature, it has become more difficult for me to switch to personal writing here.  But I am going to make an effort to do just that.  I’ll come to terms with my weight and the issues surrounding it.  I’ll come to terms with what it will take to get in the shape I want to be–not a number on the scale–but a physical shape and feeling that I want/need in my life.

Stuff I Would Like To See In My Life–More time with my husband and kids.  I am extremely busy with work, teaching and finishing my PhD and it keeps me from spending the quality time my kids need and i so desperately want.  Balance.  I need more balance in my life and I hope to see it more in 2012 than in the last few years.

Things I Regret–I try not to have any regrets.  There are certainly things that I think about but I am who I am and I try not to regret that.  When I look back thoughtfully, there isn’t anything this year I regret.  That feels good to say.

Things I Am Proud Of–My life.  I know that might sound simplistic and arrogant.  But I am proud of where I have ended up this year.  I am more than halfway done with my dissertation research.  I landed a great new job–that I wasn’t even looking for.  I taught some great classes this past year and have made an impact in students lives (even though they are adult students).  I have watched my children find their own interests.  Being married–happily so–for 11 years now.  Being given the chance to go to Thailand on a Doctoral Student trip–even though it was postponed for a year due to the devastating flooding in Thailand.  Having 2 conference proposals accepted.  My friendships.  Standing up for wrongs I see.  Advocating for my kids.

Here is to a great 2012–how ever much of it we have.  As, my husband is pretty certain those Mayan’s were on to something.  I don’t see the world ending, but I can see it changing.  Hoping 2012 brings all we hope it will.

Good-bye 2010.
The highlights bullet style (in no particular order):

• Dance Party w/DJ Lance courtesy of Micah
• Spring trips to the Zoo
• Hawaii (with hubby sans the kiddos)
• Celebrating my 10 year anniversary
• Noah learning to ride a bike (with training wheels)
• Noah learning to play tennis and basketball
• Noah turning 4
• Zoë turning 3
• Easter in Kansas City
• Lasik
• The way my kids have grown to really love each other
• Noah and Sophie (they are so cute together)
• Jumping in puddles
• Spring roses blooming in honor of the kids’ birth mothers
• Watching the kids play together
• Noah ripping up the t-ball field
• Weekend trips to Beverly Shores
• Noah learning how to swim and excelling at it
• Disneyland
• Legoland
• Santa Barbara–tri-tips at Cold Spring and seeing old friends
• The sheer joy of the kids as they grow and learn
• Celebrating Halloween twice
• Watching my hubs do the flow rider in Grand Turk–awesome
• Watching my kids grow and become amazing little people
• Both of us having jobs
• Passing my comprehensive exams
• Spending all my days with my awesome kids and amazing husband
• That I get to do it all over again in 2011

Happy New Year Everyone.  May 2011 bring you all the joy and happiness that you deserve

Good-by 2009.  It has been one of the busiest years of my life and I am sure that they will only get busier as my kids get older and I get more and more involved in the world of academia–researching, publishing, conferencing.  It has been a good year and I look back on it mostly with fondness and warm and fuzzies in my heart.

Here’s a recap of my year

January:  My first semester of supervising student teachers and interns.  Started our search for Noah’s preschool and again took Noah to see Sesame Street live–he made it through the whole performance this year.  Resumed teaching at the community college.

February:  Noah visited the dentist again and we took Noah to see Disney Live while Zoë stayed with the grandparents. I started my job search for a high school teaching job

March: Noah turned 3.  We went on our first family vacation to Disney World and got talked into buying into the Hilton’s Vacation Club.   Met Mickey and Minnie mouse plus a host of other characters.  Noah started soccer.

April:  Celebrated my 9th wedding anniversary.  Started training with my personal trainer.  Went to jazzfest in New Orleans.  Had an interview for my graduate assistantship.  Enrolled Noah in The College School.

May:  Accepted the graduate assistantship.  My cousin got married and the kids and I took the train to Chicago to see my brother.  Celebrated the end of the semester as a student, a teacher and a supervisor. Searched for daycare for kids for summer.  Lost 5lbs.  Noah got a big boy twin bed.

June:  Started my assistantship.  Kids started daycare and loved it.  Agreed to teach a class at the community college.  Lost 4lbs more.  Went to Chicago sans Zoë to run/walk a 5k with my dad on father’s day. Celebrated our first Zoëversary.

July:  Bill’s birthday.  Went to New Hampshire with the kids to see Bill’s brother and his family.  Lost 6lbs more.

August:  Noah started school.  Zoë had her first dentist appt and Noah had his first cavity.  Celebrated our 3rd Noahversary.  I started back to school as a teacher, student, supervisor and a charter school liaison.

September: Went on a vacation with my mom, brothers and family–cruise out of Miami to Key West and Cozumel.  Noah started soccer again.  Went to see Toby Keith. Weight lost total–27lbs

October:  I traveled to Columbia, MO and Salt Lake City for conferences.  I shoot my first and last wedding (way too much work).  Bill, Noah and Zoë got the swine flu–I didn’t get sick at all.  Had my first parent teacher conference at Noah’s school.

November:  Zoë turned 2.  Traveled to Philly for a conference at the same time that Bill had to be out of town for a full week for work.  Worked my first school book fair as a volunteer and served as a parent ambassador at Noah’s schools open house.  Spent a great deal of time studying statistics.  Zoë stopped sleeping in crib and started sleeping with Noah.

December:  Celebrated the end of the semester from hell.  Was gone three nights a week at my  own classes, taught 3 classes during the day, supervised 6 student teachers/teaching interns, worked a 20hr a week assistantship.  Went to Chicago for another conference.  Had a great Christmas.  Noah’s class performed at his school’s art share–they sang “Puff the Magic Dragon” and I cried–just a little.  Gained back 9 lbs of the 27 I had lost (not just in december but still).

Overall, as you can see it was a super busy year.  Not much too exciting–but super busy.  I plan to get back on the weight loss wagon.  Today I am:  Dawn 0 and Food 6–I have eaten about 6 things that I should not have.  It is such a struggle.  But I can feel that 2010 is going to be a much better year for me on a health note. It has to be.

Have a safe and happy new year.  See you next year.  Good-bye 2009.

I can’t believe another year has come and gone.  So much has changed and continues to change.  I have never been much of a New Year’s Eve big hoopla fan.  I prefer to spend the night with close friends and/or family.  That has been how some of my best New Year’s have been spent.  I am happy that 2008 is over.  It has been an amazing and tough year.  But, I look forward to what 2009 will bring.

Yearly recap is short sentences–

January: Noah saw Sesame Street live and was mesmerized and got to experience the joy of collecting beads at his first Mardi Gras Dog Parade. 

February: I got to meet the most amazing families at our first annual Wannafest.  We also got Zoë’s referral.  It was great.

March:  Noah’s first Easter egg hunt–hung out with the Easter bunny and he turned 2.

April:  Celebrated my 8th anniversary.  Watched my brother run his first Ultra Marathon.  Zoë’s case was filed in court in Ethiopia.  Went to New Orleans with my best friend and had a blast.

May: I graduated with my MA in English and Zoë’s case passed court and she was officially our daughter. 

June:  Hubby ran his first 5k and I went to Ethiopia to meet my daughter and brought her home.  My dad traveled to Ethiopia with me–making his first trip out of the country.

July:  Noah got to set off his first bunch of fire works on the 4th and got to have birthday cake with his daddy.  We spent a lot of time getting to be a family of 4. 

August:  Noah had his first dentist appointment and we made our first futile attempt to get rid of his binky(he still has it).  My brother Jeff attempted a 100 mile run–he dropped out with an injury after 50+ miles in the snow and sleet at 12,000 feet.  We celebrated our second Family Day with Noah.  I had a birthday (not a big fan of birthday’s anymore).

September:   Noah started attending a Mom’s Day Out program–loved it.  Started my PhD program.  Remodeled our bathroom and Noah got his first stamp in his US Passport.

October:  Halloween–Noah went trick or treating for the first time.  Hubby and I left the kids for the first time for a great weekend in San Francisco.

November:  Voted for the first African American president of the US.  Zoë turned 1.  EOR had it’s first Art for Ethiopia sale and it was a smashing success.

December:  Zoë has been home for 6 months.  Noah had his first Santa Christmas. 

It’s been a pretty good year and is going to end great.  Hubby just called–he spent the morning calling local spas to try and get me a massage and a pedicure.  He’s on his way home so I can make a 12:30 massage appointment and a 2pm pedicure.  I am so in love with him at the moment. 

Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year’s celebration.  See you next year.