2012 in review

so 2012 was an interesting one...

it has been one of the longest and most challenging years of my life.

despite the challenges, though,

it was an incredible year and i wouldn't change a thing.

2013?

now this year is going to be spectacular.

bring it on.

in january we had just moved to tampa and i got lost every time i drove by myself and would end up crying in a parking lot somewhere.

in february bennett took me to st. augustine for a surprise birthday trip, i saw the civil wars live, and i began my new job as an art teacher.

in march my mom and little sister came to visit and we went to disney world. then we went to nashville for my spring break and i didn't want to leave.

in april we spent a lot of time at the beach. i was pretty homesick and the sun and waves made it a little better.

in may we signed the lease to rent our little house. a week later we found out i was going to be a mama and bennett was going to be a papa. we were terrified and over the moon excited. we also celebrated our first wedding anniversary.

in june i finished teaching and then the morning sickness kicked in. my little sister came to visit and i puked a lot.

in july i stayed in bed a lot thanks to constant nausea. my belly started growing and we announced our news to the world.

in august stephanie came to visit. i started teaching again and my nausea went away. we got to see our baby girl for the first time and had a party to reveal her gender. bennett felt her kick for the first time.

in september i started feeling homesick again and took a weekend trip to nashville by myself. it was wonderful. i also made a friend. she makes tampa a happier place.

in october i took bennett to see andrew bird for his birthday. baby girl loved it and danced in my belly the whole time. my older sister got married in nashville and had an incredibly beautiful wedding.

in november my friends threw me a beautiful baby shower in nashville. i was in another wedding and then spent thanksgiving in nashville with my family. also my belly got huge.

in december i was thrown another beautiful baby shower, this time by bennett's family. i finished teaching and we had my first christmas away from my family, and our last christmas as just the 2 of us.