A Look Back!

Hi, y'all! Happy 2013! :)

I did this post last year, and thought it would be interesting to see what changed & what stayed the same. Feel free to ignore it, to skim, or to steal it for your own blog. 

{A Look Back on 2012}

1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?

Shot in manual mode on my DSLR - technically that started in December 2011, thanks to Laura & Kim, but I can't think of anything else! Plus, i have never looked back. Manual mode all the way! So excited to finally learn more in a photography class that starts January 10th!

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I kept several of my resolutions, I didn't keep others. This is okay with me! Yes, I did make quite a few more, actually!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 

My good friend Amanda had baby Judah. My good friend Katie had baby Natalie. My husband's cousin Megan had baby Izaac. There are plenty more!

 Baby Natalie & Baby Judah meet! :)

4. Did anyone close to you die? 

No, not this year, thankfully. A friend's baby died...another friend's mom died...and so many others lost loved ones in 2012, though. :(

5. What countries did you visit?
None. We are so not the world travelers, unfortunately. {Same answer as last year.}

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you did not have in 2012?

Unfortunately, this answer is the same as last year's answer. I would love a baby & a house this year. Will this be my year for those things? I don't know. I do know that He is a good God & that He loves me - whether those things take place in 2013 or not. We shall see. I would also like to break free from addiction to sweets/desserts/bad carbs! And i do believe that is His plan for 2013!

7. What dates from 2012 are etched in your memory forever?
Easter Sunday is the day God showed us our new church home and it was SO CRAZY (in a good way) how God showed us both at the same time. Our anniversary on November 14th was a fabulous day! And in late October, my family went through some tough times that I think ultimately brought us closer... I won't forget it.

8. What was your biggest achievement this year? 
Quitting all desserts/sweets, bad carbs & starches from November 15th - December 20th! Ya'll. That was a huge accomplishment for me! I mean not a DROP of it - even through Thanksgiving and a road trip! I gave in to some of these things around Christmas but am back on it again & will be happy if i can keep it up another 34 days (& beyond!).

I also learned a lot about running sound & ran it for A Christmas Carol. And I led 2 songs of worship at church one Sunday Night - which was out of my comfort zone!

9.  What was your biggest failure?
Well, eating horribly for awhile there. Not getting it together in that area. Not exercising, totally dropped the ball on that for awhile!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Well, it seems our allergies were out of control in 2012 - My doctor actually told me I am allergic to Louisiana...GREAT! I think that is it, though?! Which is a blessing. :)

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I can't think of anything!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My friend Natalie graduated law school! And my friend Rachel graduated nursing school! And my friend Shelley got a pretty good role in Pitch Perfect! Pretty awesome. :)

 That is Shelley, far left (white shirt). So excited to see her in a movie!

13. Whose behavior made you apalled & depressed?
I can't really answer this without saying things I shouldn't!

14. Where did most of your money go? 
I have a problem of blowing all my spending money on FOOD. Eating out with friends, picking up lunch for work instead of bringing my own. I really don't regret eating with friends; it is time well spent with them...but if i could stop eating out because i don't feel like packing a lunch - that would be great!

15. What did you get really excited about?
Our new church home. An instant friendship with Billy & Mandy. We love them & feel like it's a total friendship from God. :) Becca getting married! :) Also got very excited about paying off my student loans, finally!

16. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or Sadder? Happier.
Thinner or Fatter? Thinner, but barely. Really want to see a bigger difference in 2013.
Richer or poorer? Richer, because (1) we paid off my student loans, and (2) i got a raise.

17. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercised

18. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Eating things I shouldn't

19. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I stayed in love with my sweet husband. Actually, i am more deeply in love with him than i was this time last year. It just gets better & better, even when you think it's already good to begin with. :)

20. What was your favorite TV show?
I fell in love with Parenthood! And Downton Abbey, which is FINALLY about to start Season 3! I continued to watch Grey's Anatomy & Law and Order SVU.

21. What was the best book you read?
The Redemption series, by Karen Kingsbury
Baby Hunger, by Beth Forbus (finished this a couple days ago - awesome book!)

22. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Billy, our praise team leader at church! Haha! He is an incredible musician & worship leader & I look up to him in that area. Other than that, i pretty much stuck with my usual favorites!

23. What did you want & get?
I wanted to get my engagement/wedding rings soldered together, have 2 diamonds replaced & have it cleaned - I did & it's beautiful! :)

24. What did you want & not get?
A house & a baby! One day, my friends. One day!

25. What was your favorite film of 2012?
Sadly, we did not see too many.  Gonna have to go with Pitch Perfect. :)


26. What did you do on your birthday & how old were you?
I turned 34 on March 2nd. We went to eat dinner at Chimes East with some good friends.

27. What is one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I'm going to say if i had focused more on eating right & exercising. I did towards the end (with the eating, not exercise) but spent a LOT of time not able to get into it at all. That would have definitely helped my year out. ;)

28. What kept you sane? 
My relationship with God. A new church family. And new really good friends, like Billy & Mandy. And old friends that really helped me through some things, too.

29. What political issue stirred you the most?
I am really stirred by what is going on at Hobby Lobby right now; I think I may even do a post on it (which would be a first for me to post about something political!). The elections & chic-fil-a thing also stirred me, mainly because of all the nonsense on facebook!

30. Who did you miss?
My sweet friends in Pennsylvania. :) My friend Rebecca in New York. Brittany & others in NYC. Amanda in California. To name a few. :)

31. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
That God is for me - that He has not forgotten me - that even in the midst of a huge void, He can still make my life completely satisfying by giving me a loving & supportive group of friends & family. That He is not out to hurt me or disappoint me - that anything I go through is only to bring me to a place of freedom and joy.

So there you go! My 2012 in a nutshell, kind of. ;) I did skip some questions from last year - like describe your year in a song lyric - i hate those questions! Ha! 

Happy New Year. :)