The Year 2012

As I sat thinking about the year we had in 2012, I was overwhelmed with what an enormous year it was for us.  Some of the milestones we hit in 2012 were planned for years, things that had been much anticipated and prepared for, others were surprises for us, either way it was a pretty epic year for us, and I don't want to forget what a great/crazy/challenging/wonderful year it was!  So here is the run down on the major happenings of 2012!

 

Planned Highlights!

 

 

• We have been looking forward to Matt starting CRNA school for about 5 years.  When he finished nursing school there were quite a few accomplishments he needed before applying to school, we knew it'd take at least 3 years before we were ready to apply.  Having a bunch of kids delayed the process, but we have been planning for this HUGE accomplishment, and challenge, for a long time!
• 

   
• Lily started Kindergarten!  Obviously from the time a first child is born, overly anxious, worry-wort parents like me start thinking about what year their kids will start public school.  Sending our first kid off to school, and starting a new phase of our parenting/family life is a big deal!
• 

   
• Moving! We knew we'd be moving.  This was always part of the plan.  For the past 5 years, we've known that we'd eventually move so that Matt could attend CRNA school.  We had no idea where that would be, but we knew that most of the schools we were applying to were going to be East of the Mississippi, so we have anticipated a cross-country move for a long time.
• 

   
• No babies!  If we followed our tried and true baby schedule, we should have had a baby this year.  I have mixed feelings about this.  We knew with all the above changes that there was no way we could handle a pregnancy (I am always incredibly sick...like vomit multiple times a day, everyday, for 6 months), or having a newborn while looking for a place to move, moving, getting settled in a new place, and both Lily & Matt starting school.  It was the right choice for our family, but 2012 is the ONLY year, in the past 6 years, that I haven't been pregnant or nursing for at least part of he year.  It's very strange.

Surprise Highlights!

 

• Minnesota!  We had no idea we would end up moving to Minnesota.  The Mayo Clinic's Nurse Anesthesia program was always on our short list, but we were REALLY good at not predicting getting into ANY schools.  We were very lucky that Matt got into several schools, (he actually stopped going to interviews after getting accepted at Westminster, Mayo, and The Cleaveland Clinic because we knew even if he got in elsewhere we would end up at one of these) so in the beginning of 2012 we had to make the choice of which school to attend.  Clearly, we went with the Mayo Clinic and in early 2012 started making plans to move to Minnesota...a BIG change for us native Arizonans.

 
• Buying our first home!  I think that every newly-wed starts daydreaming of buying their first home.  Matt and I have always looked forward to buying our first home, it's been a much fantasized, debated, and considered topic for us as a couple.  Our penny-pinching, practical natures have always won out in the end, and if you asked us a year ago we would've said that we were POSITIVE that we wouldn't become homeowners until Matt finished CRNA school and we were officially settled somewhere.  But a buyer's market, and an inflated rental market here in town made buying VS renting a MUCH cheaper and wiser option.  This was a big surprise to us, but one we are SO happy with!