Reflections of 2010...

This time last year, we were new parents of a beautiful baby boy, I was on maternity leave, and we were renting a house.

As we turn the page to 2011, we have a 15-month-old who keeps us incredibly busy and continues to bring us incredible joy, I own an online natural parenting store, and we own our first home! What a year!

Over the past 12 months, I have continued to fall more in love with Ethan and more in love with my job as a mom. I was made to be a wife and Mom – I’ve been saying this since high school, where my economics teacher would make fun of me and tell me I couldn’t live off of love….I’m proving him wrong. I have never felt so fulfilled and so at peace about where I am in life. I can’t imagine being back at work and leaving Ethan every day; I would be missing out on so much! I love that I have the privilege of watching him learn new things every single day – I’ve watched him take his first steps, learn his first words, and figure out life as a one-year-old. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I own a business! What the heck?! How did that happen? This time last year I wouldn’t have thought I had it in me…sometimes I still don’t know. But, with immense amounts of encouragement from my wonderful husband (and some incredible family and friends), I took the plunge and am now the very proud owner of ‘Lovable Little Tree Huggers.’ Starting my business has enabled me to share my passion for cloth diapering, baby-wearing, and natural parenting with friends and strangers alike; it has given me a sense of independence, and it has given me the opportunity to meet some great new friends and other stay-at-home-Moms. I love what I do, but most of all I love that it allows me to stay home with Ethan and savour the joys of motherhood.

Not only do we now own a business, but we bought our first home in 2010! After essentially giving up on the fact that we would ever own a home in the area we're currently living, things just about fell into our laps and we were able to buy a house that we have quickly made a home. We are excited about renovating our kitchen and powder room in 2011 and about making more family memories in our first family home!

As we say goodbye to 2010 and remember all of the excitement and memories made, I also feel a sense of loss and mourning. In 2010, a dear friend passed away very suddenly, sending my life into a cloud of sadness and many, many tears. Life didn’t seem fair. He was far too young and had so much potential…he was going to do great things. I grieved for his parents; I grieved for his brother and sister; I grieved for my parents and for other friends affected by his death; and slowly over the last couple of weeks, I think I have started to grieve for me. There are many, many memories that I look back on and am thankful for, but I feel like there were also many memories waiting to be created. As I begin 2011, I remember my friend. I remember vacations together in our childhood, I remember conversations with him that went way over my head, I remember the first time he met my son, and more than anything, I remember his laugh. I cling to the fact that he is with God and he is at ultimate peace…sometimes that gives me peace too. Until I hear his laugh again, I’ll remember his life, and in his memory I will cherish every day I am given.