Palmer Family Chronicles: Happy New Year!

Saying goodbye to 2012 is kind of sad. A lot of changes took place in my life in 2012, and they were all wonderful! I have grown as a person, a wife, and a

mother in the past year. I really feel like I became a different person... When I stop and compare things that were important to me, things that worried me, and things that scared me in the past to the same things now... They are completely different.

Matthew and I got married in 2011, but didn't move into our house until December 2011, which means 2012 was really the first year we really lived together! Oh boy, that alone was a major change. We dated for five years, but it is totally different when you live with someone (plus adding a baby to the equation)! We have GROWN so much! I am not going to pretend like it was easy. It was hard. But, luckily we both love each other so much, and took our vows seriously, and MEANT we were going to do whatever we had to do to make each other happy, and I can honestly say we are closer and happier now than we have ever been!

June 8, 2012 our precious gift from above was born. Oh, what a gift he was! Words will never be able to express how much love I feel in my heart for that sweet little boy. Again, having Sumner wasn’t easy at first. I dealt with a lot of anxiety and hormones after he was born. My whole world changed! It took some adjusting, but once I did, my life got even better, and better, and better. Sumner has done a lot for our marriage, too. No one, but Matthew, shares the same love for Sumner as I do. That bond alone will bring you closer together with your spouse.

I have grown so much as a person, too. I use to be a very timid and soft spoken person. In other words, a push over! I still am to an extent, but I have come a long way. Now that Sumner is here, I stand up for myself about things regarding him. I am not a perfect mother. I make my fair share of mistakes. I am LEARNING. But, at the same time I am a good mama, and I am confident in my decisions regarding him. This is something I am proud of. When he was first born, I was asking everyone I could think of for advice… What bottles? How to sterilize? What laundry detergent? Do I give him a bath every day? Where should he sleep? How much does he need to eat? Hold him all the time, or lay him down? And the list goes on and on and on! I learned QUICK there IS NOT a right way because EVERYONE told me something different! Some people gave me and still do give me advice when I didn’t/don’t ask for it. I have learned to let it roll off my shoulder and respond with a smile and “that’s nice”!

Things that use to be important just aren’t anymore. I use to exercise every single day without fail. Now it’s a good week if I work out three or four times. And you know what…. It’s ok! I have been pleasantly surprised that all that exercise must not make that big of a difference because I haven’t gained weight by working out less. I even tested my bmi last week and to my surprise it was the same! Trainers use to tell me I was overworking my body when I exercised every day, and I guess they were right. Now, since I don’t work out every day, when I do, it must shock my body, so I get more out of it… Who knows? All I know is I am much happier not stressing out about watching what I eat and working out.

2012 has been wonderful for me and my family. I pray God gives me another wonderful year and protects us. Happy New Year Everyone!

MY RESOLUTIONS FOR 2013

1. Develop a closer relationship with the Lord.

2. Spend more time relaxing and spending time with my family rather than cleaning my house or working on other things that can WAIT! I will never get these precious years back with Sumner, and I want to spend every chance I get with him!

3. Eat healthier! I use to think I was eating healthy because I cooked everything using “no fat” or “reduced fat”. I have done a lot of research about nutrition since Sumner is about to start eating “real” food, and I have learned the things I use to eat are HORRIBLE! I want to begin in 2013 cooking things with all natural ingredients whenever possible.

4. GO GREEN! This is similar to the above resolution. As I was researching healthy nutrition I also stumbled across hazardous household cleaning products. It’s scary because the labels you see on things are lies! I want to buy and use things in my home that are safe and good for the environment.

5. Be the best wife, mama, daughter, sister, teacher, and friend I can be J

2012 AT A GLANCE