Most people wake up on December 31 and mull over the year they just experienced. I do that too.

Lately however, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the last 12 months.

We’ve experienced a lot since last June.

We bought and moved into our dream house. I always say that it’s not our dream house because it’s super fancy (it’s not) or has all the latest decor (it doesn’t). It’s our dream house because we think it’s perfect for our family. I still find myself in total awe that God blessed us with our home.

Our youngest son broke his arm…then just months later, his foot. Our oldest daughter broke….sigh….most of her face and head. They survived it. I have to dye over the gray in my hair far more frequently now though, thankyouverymuch.

At church I began volunteering on the leadership team for a ministry geared toward moms. I started helping out in the “crawler” room, taking care of little ones once a month.

One of my favorite writing gigs ended when that publication had to stop publishing because of a lack of money.

A story I wrote ran in papers across the United States, most notably in USA Today.

We all turned a year older. We celebrated holidays. We laughed, learned, cried.  We grew closer. Stuff happened and, in response, we did all the things that families do.

There are things I would change though; small things and big things.

If I had to do it all over, I would do a lot of it differently.

I wouldn’t worry as much.

I wouldn’t plan as much.

To the kids, I would say “yes” more and “no” less.

On June 27, 2011, I would stop everything and have a tea party with my daughter.

I wouldn’t have so much pride.

I’d gossip less.

I’d freak out less (like the time we had a massive summer rainstorm and our dream house started leaking like mad and I ran around crying and yelling at the ceilings to “STOP!”).

That time that I said that thing? I wouldn’t do that again.

I would listen more.

I’d write more letters and less emails.

I’d check Facebook less.

I’d read my Bible more.

I’d be nicer to people.

I’d laugh more.

I’m so glad it’s summertime and my tiny tribe can hang out and enjoy lazy days together. I’ll try to soak it all in because I know that in June, 2013, I’ll be writing this post all over again.

Hopefully next year my list of “things I’d change” will be much shorter.