This is THE year 2013

Boy do I have plans for 2013! It will be the year that makes up for 2012, 2011 and at least half of 2010. There were plenty of good things that happened in those years. Well, maybe not plenty...but a few...like the birth of Ainsley and making new friends...but the rest was kinda crappy for the whole family.

We are oh so close to getting on the road to our major cross country road trip. I'm sure there are a lot of families out there who trek across 15 states in less than a month...but this is our first. It will be our first family vacation too with several days at Lake Tahoe.

I moved so much growing up that I absolutely detest moving. I get anxiety about it...I become a complete blubbering mess because no matter why I am moving--it always feels exactly as it did when I was little. That sucked worse than anything. A lot of crummy things happened to our family way back then but moving hurt the most...as did being the new kid every single year with buck teeth, caterpillar eyebrows, a horrible sense of fashion and long stick legs. But...

2013 will be different. I really can't wait to get out of New Bern, NC. I think everyone I have come in contact with in this town refers to me as "That negative lady who hates New Bern". Actually--they are probably too nice to think of me that way...because the people here really are nice times 1000. I've met some of the best families. Stephen and I like both the husband AND the wife in several households here. Leaving them and their adorable munchkins behind is going to be rough. I sure hope we can make friends like this again in the future.

Leaving behind Avery's amazing teacher and Montessori school will be the other extremely difficult thing about this move.

But the silver lining- there is so much to gain in heading to the heavenly state of Washington so we are focusing on that. Dad has promised his little girls (and me!) a dog. It may take us a year or two to find the right one--but just knowing that we have the "ok" to get one...is making the move extra exciting for the girls. Everything that we enjoy is there...and not just within the state but within a few miles of where we will be living. After living in New Bern...this will be so huge. SO HUGE.

The adventure begins on Jan 30. 2013 will be the best year yet...it just has to be.