2011 in Review

2011 was a year full of huge changes for me. I had a baby, quit my job, and then adjusted to being a mother and housewife.

In July we moved to Singapore, a country and region of the world I had never been to before. We had to learn how to do everything in a foreign environment, find an apartment, and unpack all our stuff. Since then we have been adjusting to expat life, B's first professional job, and a new culture and climate.

We traveled a lot: B went to the East Coast and southern California for work, R and I went to Washington to visit family, we moved to Singapore, B went to Japan (for work), we all traveled back to the US (and B went to the East Coast again), B went to China (for work) we took family trips to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia, and then we flew again to the US (with a third trip to the East Coast for B).

We saw many interesting things--wild monkeys, temples, historical artifacts, museums, tropical beaches--and learned a lot. Sometimes it was very fun and sometimes it was horrible. It was always both interesting and stressful.

This year was full of intense emotions, both good and bad. The good moments included getting to know little R, watching B develop into a great father, and visiting Hong Kong and Langkawi. There were also a lot of really bad moments: stress-fueled fights, sleepless nights, horribly long plane flights, money issues...

I would like 2012 to be a nice calm year without any more dramatic changes. However, to be honest, this is most unlikely. So instead I hope it will be a year full of personal growth, in which I become a better person, take care of my husband and baby in a way that I can be proud of, and make time for travel, relaxation and my family. Fingers crossed and braced for the ride!