The year was 1975 and it was a cold and snowy day. I entered the world and changed my parents’ lives forever. New, young parents with no experience with infants, I added a some excitement (and sleepless nights) to their lives. I’ve been told countless times about how I used to cry a lot when I was a baby. My grandmother (who came to help my parents with me for a few months) always told me how I couldn’t be consoled and that the only time I would be quiet and fall asleep was if I were in her arms. She said she lost a few pant sizes in the months she helped take care of me.
Fast forward a few years.
Today, I am another year older. I’d like to think I’m another year wiser, but I’m not so sure. As I reflect, this year has been full of learning. It’s been filled with some incredible highs, some lows, and a lot of life lessons.
39 things I have learned this year
- Family is not an important thing — It’s the most important thing. It’s everything.
- I need to work on my patience.
- I have a fantastic family. My husband is a kind, hardworking man and our daughter is a miracle who continues to amaze me every day.
- Little One may have the same temper as I have (and that my mom has).
- Coffee still knocks me out and the only time I can enjoy my cuppa is if I drink it before bedtime or if I don’t have to be alert or driving!
- I still have a food sensitivity to green apples. I love them so much that I tried one recently to see if I still reacted to them. I still react to green apples. My mouth got itchy and inflamed. I also broke into a rash.
- I will do anything for my family and friends if I can.
- I’m stronger than I thought I was.
- In my heart, I still want to have another baby, but am trying to convince myself that if we don’t get pregnant again, I’ll be okay with only having one happy, healthy child.
- I need to not work so much. I need to make it a habit to unplug more.
- I need to spend more time checking in on my mother-in-law and my parents.
- I’m really bad at backing up and reverse parking. Don’t even ask me to parallel park.
- There’s nothing I love better than cooking for friends and family and having a house full of people!
- I like washing dishes, but hate putting dishes away.
- I like doing laundry, but hate folding and putting laundry away.
- I need to realize that it’s okay for our home to be “lived in” and not look like a page out of a magazine.
- We have everything we need.
- I’m in love with my Vitamix.
- Some things are not worth fighting over.
- Some things are worth fighting for.
- Pick and choose battles
- Be kind, personable, genuine, professional, even if others aren’t.
- Sometimes you need to approach with caution.
- Not everyone is kind or upholds the same values as you do.
- The world is full of good people.
- It feels really good to purge.
- Sometimes a good cry is necessary.
- I need to work on keeping in touch (whether it be by phone, letters, email). It’s so easy to get so wrapped up in the every day stuff that we need to nourish relationships and take the time to do so.
- A simple act of kindness can change someone’s entire day. Little One and I have been paying it forward a lot recently and it feels so good.
- I’m one year away from turning 40!
- I should consider sending out New Year’s cards instead of Christmas cards.
- My tastes have changed with age. I used to love all things chocolate, but love all things lemon or lime these days. I now prefer tart over sweet.
- I need to take some time out each day to be thankful for what I have.
- Farm life is not for the faint of heart.
- We can learn a lot from children.
- Sometimes children are better examples than some adults when it comes to how we should treat others.
- I have so many passwords, I can’t remember them.
- A messy house makes me feel stifled, suffocated, cluttered, anxiety-filled. Hubby and Little One probably do not realize how anxious this makes me.
- In the words of Elsa from Frozen, sometimes we just need to “Let it go”.
Photo taken by the talented PhotoCaptiva.
There you have it! 39 things I have learned in the past year.
I love that list and appreciate you sharing it! I hope it has been a good year so far!
This list made me stop and think for a second “What is it that I learned this year?” It’s so interesting to see how many things we all have in common. Different backgrounds, family and experiences yet so many of us struggle with the same issues. The biggest and most important thing I’ve learnt this year is that when you truly “let it go” what ever it is you are struggling with…it really does feel amazing. Happy New Year!
I can relate to your list and learn from it. Thank you!
I love your list. I would like to have a neater, cleaner house but would rather do other things instead, like: knit for my grands and great grands; enter blog giveaways; have my adult children visit; read crime books, etc. I get anxious when a ‘good ‘ housekeeper visits and I suspect she is looking in the corners but that may be an overreaction or guilt on my part.
I found that I am stronger than I imagined myself to be and that to me, like you, family is everything. I would do whatever I can for family and friends and other people as well.
I’m glad you are teaching your little one about kindness. I tell my girls that there are a lot of ‘walking wounded’ out there. Our smile or kindness may make their day and help them on their journey. Courtesy is necessary. My Mother showed me that by example.
My half-sister told me that I smiled all the time when I was a baby. My middle daughter was the same. Wonderful gift to have. Hugs.
Elva, one thing I am thankful for about having this blog is receiving beautiful comments like this one. Thank you so much for visiting the blog, taking the time to comment and engage. Your comments always make my day. Blessed to have crossed paths with you on the ‘net!
What a wonderful and sincere list! A house that looks lived in is the best! My mom cleaned up all the time and missed out on so much while worrying about how the house looked!
Same here, Anne! Same here! I don’t want my child’s earliest memories being of me always cleaning and being upset that the house was turned upside down. At the same time, I don’t want to live in a mess! LOL!
I just turned 43 and I am definitely feeling your list. Wonderful life lessons.
Heidi, it’s amazing how our priorities change as we get older. It’s also interesting to see how perspectives sometimes change as well.
its funny how coffee makes you sleepy
Chandra, it’s funny…and annoying 🙂 LOL!
I love how you said you need to check in more with parents in in laws. Its so important to check in. We take them for granted too often
Jaimee, I am so guilty of this 🙁 So true…we need to do this more often.
The biggest thing I finally mastered this year, is the ability to take a step back .. and look twice.
More often then not now, I think before I speak. Some things aren’t worth discussing/debating, but worth remembering.
Darlene: Yes, yes, and yes!!! I’m with you on all of those!
Great post Christine! So many great lessons learned over the years. I really need to start to take stock of the great things in my life. And I hear you on the patience and messy house issues. It causes me anxiety too.
Oh, Brandy! You have no idea how relieved that makes me 🙂 The part about the patience and messy house issues…glad I’m not the only one that gets anxiety from that.
Coffee is a sleep aid for you? That is completely outside of its purpose lol
Haha! Jaimee! I know! It’s pretty crazy!
First of all – HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of the sweetest, kindest people that I know!
Second of all – you are one smart lady – you sure have learned a lot and I know like me, you are a lifelong learner 🙂 Here’s to another year full of learning opportunities.
Awesome lessons to learn, I hope you have the greatest of birthdays!
Thank you so much, Jaimee!
Awesome lessons to learn.
Happy Birthday Christine! I love your list and several of them I can relate with! Great picture of your family 🙂
happy birthday I feel the same way about dishes and laundry
🙂 Thanks Chandra! Haha! Dishes and laundry are the bane of my existence! lol
This is my favourite: Some things are not worth fighting over.
Some things are worth fighting for.
Happy Birthday my friend. You ARE wise beyond your years and your family and friends know it. Xoxo
Thank you so much, Maya! So blessed to have you in my life, my friend! Now, I wish we lived closer though! xo
Happy birthday my friend! I love this list of lessons learned. I briefly thought of doing the same for my birthday next month, but 45 seems like a long list to think up 😉
This year I learned that I am strong. Strong beyond anything I could have imagined. It took a whole pile of people pointing out to me all that I’ve gone through in the past few years, and how I’ve managed to keep our family together and get through it all. But I’ve also learned that in spite of that strength I need to allow myself to be vulnerable too, and to let others step in and give me a break from time to time.
Big hugs, my friend! Deborah, you are so amazing. Have I told you that lately?! 🙂