2013.

the difference a year makes.

2012 was easily. respectfully. the best year yet for both marcus and i. filled with challenges that we both stood up to with open hearts and a shared sense of humor. filled with goals that grew into accomplishments. filled with blessings and support and love. here's a few memorable moments that come to this mama's mind:
1. i decided after never running a single time in my life to register for a half marathon race.
2. i survived my first thirty days to inspiration challenge at inspire hot yoga studio.
3. marcus and i moved into sweet new digs in the form of a brand spankin' new three bedroom, two full bath, open concept condo. we painted it the most perfect shade of gray with white molding. we found perfect real.live. antiques to make the space our own. we have grown into the space and it now feels like our perfect little home that frames this past year and chapter just perfectly.
4. i got divorced and lived to blog about it.
5. i ran said half marathon race and doused a baby with gatorade at the water station accidentily.
6. i survived a SECOND thirty days to inspiration challenge at inspire hot yoga studio. i did just over two hundred hot yoga classes in 2012. i have grown so much by filling a small slice of each day with this amazing spiritual and physical challenge. yoga is so so close to my heart after the healing it supported and the way it has opened both my heart and my hips.
7. i worked harder [in my career] than i have ever worked before. i love my job. i have loved working hard outside of the day-to-day routine to better myself in this role and maximize my success and will work even smarter in 2013 to grow towards more.
8. i feel that i grew SO.MUCH. as a mama. my relationship with my son was my biggest investment this year. provide stability. security. TRUST. love. health. respect. i ventured into the single parent role with incredible support from marcus' dad, my own parents and family, amazing friends, and also an amazing man who i am now so lucky to call my boyfriend. these people all contributed to my investment in marcus and i am so proud of the young man he is growing into. he is such a rock solid, rad little boy with an awesome head on his shoulders and equally awesome open heart.
9. i fell in love. our memories in 2012 included coldplay. goyte. raptors. jays. backstage tour of mtv. private tour of parliament. meeting friends. meeting family. a road trip to my hometown. multiple trips to and from edmonton and toronto. my first weiner roast. spending time with marcus. and we have so much to look forward to in 2013.
10. i am proud of my friendships that i've grown and invested in.
11. i was blown away by the support and love i received in response to this here blog. literally blown away. when old friends send messages of support during such an important time it gives you new perspective on how mindful you should be of your impact on others as well. why not be positive? why not challenge yourself to suprise others in the way you react? why not be that person who is selfless and able to put their ego aside for others? growing out of my ego changed me inside and out. i am honestly so much more open. and able to supporting the people i love + cherish now that i have grown to expect so little from others as i can finally support + cherish myself.

i'd also love to share some memorable accomplishments of marcus:
1. he performed in the big streetsville academy school production as nemo. he rocked it.
2. he started kindergarten.
3. he hosted an ugly sweater christmas party with a gingerbread factory and hot cocoa buffet.
4. he joined little kickers football club academy.
5. he joined gymnastics aka 'tumbling and trampoline' so as to make it sound less girly.
6. he joined piano.
7. he joined martial arts. he was probably the cutest pint sized ninja ever of all time in the history of man.
8. he wrote his own name.
9. we went on a flight to ottawa together which rocked his rocks.
10. we had an awesome third birthday party.
11. he has grown into an incredible sense of humor and awesome intelligence that i fall in love with daily.
12. he has grown into our new family shape and with challenges and lessons along the way, we are all better for this new normal we have built.
13. we met a new baby cousin james and a new baby cousin audrey.

are you into resos for the new year?
i am more into constant goal setting. but the new year does bring us to this awesome looking back point. where we put a stake in the timeline and celebrate successes of the past year. remember challenges of the past year. and relish in the lessons of the past year. and then we find excitement in jumping into 2013 with both feet and an open heart.

i hope today between popping advil and telling yourself you are never going to drink again, that you don't just start setting resolutions. first take time to reflect on the growth you accomplished in 2012. then trust the best is yet to come, and approach 2013 without ego or fear. do the whole YOLO thing and set the table for the best year of your life. i can't imagine how much marcus + i will each accomplish in 2013 but i am game and open and i know that we will learn from every day and be better the next.

happy 2013.

-kare
xo