The Best and Hardest Year of My Life

Last year was my "Golden Birthday." You've probably only heard of this if the actual day of your birthday is in the second half of the month.  I hadn't heard of it until my husband mentioned it a few years ago.  Your Golden Birthday is the year in which you turn the age of your day of birth.  And it's supposed to be the best year of your life.

In imagining my "Golden Year," I probably wouldn't have scripted it the way it went.  As I turned 31 last year, I had some of idea what what was in store for me, but I couldn't have fathomed everything.

We had already been TTC a year last year on my birthday.  At this point I knew it was not going to be easy, I had started to seek medical help, I was frustrated and bitter, but not depressed about the situation.

But I had no idea how difficult and rewarding the year would actually be.  I did 3 IUIs and 1 IVF cycle.  I had more responsibility at work, which I asked for and enjoyed.  I welcomed my second nephew, but my sister's first.  I got my first dog since childhood.  (This was definitely part of the hard part! But I love her so much!)  I started blogging.  I had my first student teacher (I will not be trying that again anytime soon).  I reconnected with a lot of college friends; some through blogging, some in other ways, but I'm so happy about this!

And I got pregnant for the first and second times.  I cried a lot.  Probably more than most years.

But the amazing thing is that I felt old enough and strong enough to handle this year.  This year did not break me and I would say my relationship with my husband has just continued to get stronger (it's been about 6 years now).

I'm glad this year is over and that it held the times it did.  Well most of them, I would definitely have edited a few things out if I had been in charge of my destiny.

This year to come will probably be even harder, but in a way that I so welcome!  I'm going to learn how to take take of a newborn.  Communicate with my partner about parenting (I think we'll be good at this, but there are definitely a few things we will have to work on).  Figure out how to have a career and a child at the same time.  And how to pump at work.  (This is the part that is stressing me out the most currently.)  But I'm excited about this new challenge.  I've been hoping for it for ever and trying to make it happen for the last 2 years.

So let's go 32!

And again, thanks to all of you out there who have become a part of my life in ways small and big throughout the last year.  I could not have made it without you!