This was his reward and he let everyone know about it!

It’s a beautiful day out today so we spent some time sitting in the sunshine. Duncan of course, had other ideas of shooting bad guys and the chicken that’s running free outside of their yard.

7 months

3 years

It’s amazing how much they grow in just a few years.

For the past 5 days we have been working on potty training. He’s probably been ready for a lot longer than I have noticed but one night before bath he went in the little toilet in the bathroom and I applauded, the night after that he went again before bath and I said, that’s it, tomorrow you’re going to wear some big boy underpants.

Even though he already had some underpants we thought we would make it more special this time by going and buying him some Cars underpants. Target didn’t have any in his size so we got one pair of boxer briefs that were legit Cars and grossly overpriced as well as a pack of generic car underpants to wear. He spent two days in diapers after the first initial day because he wanted to although he still went pee in the toilet so I said, hey whatever you want as long as you pee in the toilet. His second day he had two accidents and since then he hasn’t had any where pee is concerned.

I think he’s doing fabulously and tonight we are wearing big boy underpants to bed to see how it goes. He’s been waking up dry for awhile and he does well for his naps in underpants so we shall see what the night holds for us.

Last year was a stressful one and full of changes for all of us because we came to Australia on the first of the year to meet Jamie’s family and vice versa. The trip was uneventful thankfully and Duncan went through it well, as I already wrote about. I had a hard time adjusting to not having my immediate family near me like I was used to for 29 years. I have to say that I was a mess during the first months of the year. I could barely even talk about my family members without tearing up and camming with them all was even harder. Well pulled through it though and are a lot better although I still tear up every so often when I miss different aspects of everyones lives.

However, I have met Jamie’s family (after 12 years of marriage) and have to say that I have been missing a lot not knowing them. Sure, we talked on the phone (once because I could not understand his Dad with his accent and I’m a horrible person to talk to on the phone anyway) but there is nothing like getting to know people face to face.

Duncan took to everyone quickly and absolutely loves everyone and it fills my heart up to see him with Jamie’s family. He hasn’t forgotten anyone in America though because he will pick them out in pictures and on cam any time of the day. It’s amazing how well adjusted kids can be, isn’t it?

Money wasn’t the best in 2012 but then again, it wasn’t horrible all the time either. We ended the year getting a good end and we’re going to start this year with a good start. I’m pretty optimistic for this year financially and every other way. It’s going to be an exciting year.

Being in Australia has taught me to be without my family like I said before and I think that has been a pretty big thing for me. While I know now that I can be away from them, I have also found out that being in a different continent to them is not something I am able to do for very long. I’m too family orientated. Knowing Jamie’s family as well now, I won’t be able to go another 12 years from seeing them either. We’re going to have to have a strict saving plan on coming to Australia every few years.

Speaking of Australia, I have seen so much of this country that it is unbelievable. I have been in every state except Tasmania at this point and we are hoping to remedy that this year sometime if time and money allows. I have seen almost every single wild animal that I have only ever seen in zoos and on television and I will say this, they are amazing. Kangaroos, while a nuisance to everyone else amazes me still. Emus, I have seen before but never out in the wild. Dingos, I saw for the first time in the wild just last month and they are gorgeous. The highlight though was our Koala sighting! He/she was fantastic and actually awake!

What else? Duncan went from barely beginning to eat to now never stopping. He has developed his own tastes and knows what he likes but is also still trying food out. He has recently found out that peas aren’t a bad thing and will go for them over any other vegetable although it’s a tie with carrots. He loves any kind of pasta and will gobble up baked beans like there is no tomorrow. Sausage is another favorite and if you ask him what he wants for dinner you will get that answer nine times out of ten.

I ended the year at half the size I was when I started the year which is absolutely amazing to me. I’m not sure what the real differences are in my eating but the weight just melted off. It could be that I drastically cut back my soda intake to about one glass a day, my portions are a bit smaller, to the junk food I eat is a lot less. I have no idea and I’m not complaining. Weight number wise I am about 15 pounds away from the goal I wanted when I first starting dieting. Who would have thought that I really didn’t have to do anything to get the weight off? I still have toning to do but, I’m pretty happy with how I look.

So, with all of us, this year has been full of trials but there have been a lot of good times as well. I’m very optimistic for this year and I feel like this is our year. This year for all our families, it’s going to be good, it’s going to be all our years. It’s an odd year and it’s 2013. What’s there not to be excited about?

Happy New Year everyone. You have a brand new year ahead of you…embrace it.

Lives being taken for useless reasons today. This isn’t the first time it’s happened and it sadly probably won’t be the last but it is still horribly heartbreaking to think of that these children were in school, in a place that is supposed to be safe, doing what they do every single day, and now they are no longer.

Today, there are millions of parents and family members who are holding their kids tighter tonight, crying tears for the lost children even though they didn’t know them, feeling the empty spots in their hearts for their family members and asking why?