Well folks, the fairy tale is coming to an end in 2014. This past year has been our only full year in Singapore and what a year it's been!
We travelled every chance we could, starting out New Year's Day in
Melbourne, Australia with our
fabulous friends. From there we visited:
We have one last trip planned to Nikoi Island, Indonesia, in January before we go. We also contemplated trying to fit in a trip to Myanmar (formerly Burma) but with school fees and new car payments looming, we decided to nix it. When we inevitably come back to Asia in the future we will definitely have to make it an extended vacation because there are SO many places we wanted to go that just didn't happen (Maldives, Taiwan, China, Laos, I could go on and on.)
It was a year for developing new friendships into lifelong-lasting ones (Bri, Liisa and Rachel - yes I'm talking about you) and in the same year, being devastated by the departure of one of them. I've also observed many other new friends somewhat from afar, because I know I'm leaving and I just don't have it in me to put myself out there. I think I will regret this with a few because I just KNOW we would have been a perfect friend match. I hope some read this and suspect that I am talking about them :-). I've also gotten close to two teachers at the school and look forward to attending their wedding back in the USA this summer - only six months Maureen and Andrew! (and also until I see you again Bri!)
This year has also been incredibly special because I was able to observe my stubborn, opinionated, sporty tomboy of a girl, Sophia, find her first "best friend". If ever two young girls were friend soul mates, these two are it. We're already talking exchange student plans when we both return to our homes in the USA and Sweden. And the fact that her parents are two of our very best friends here is pretty awesome. We're hoping to host them at our house next summer!
It's also been a year of incredibly frustrating medical issues for me. I've had three surgeries in 2013, two of them major, and recovery downtime of over two months total. But on the positive side, I've been lucky to receive amazing medical treatment. I've loved every single doctor I have had, and the hospitals have been great. (Note: rooms are nicer at Mount Elizabeth, food is way better at Glen Eagles haha.)
Ranking high up on the memories list will be all the visitors we had this year. Starting with Jason's parents, Ed and Sharon, in March, my brother Scott, his wife Kristen and two of their kids, Jackson and Olivia in August, our Aussie friends, the Vogers, in October and my parents, Kathy and Grant, in December - it's been a full house of fun! We are more than thankful that all of these people spent so much money and travel time coming to our tiny part of the world. Each visit was priceless (all in different ways too!) and I hope they came back with as many wonderful memories as we did.
If I had to pick one thing though, I'd say the greatest part of this year has been spending so much unique and quality time with my kids. For better or worse, we are almost always together as a family. I say for better, they might say for worse! (just kidding, they still seem to like us a lot :-) I've watched them become the most confident, independent little human beings and it's just fabulous. This assignment has completely changed their trajectory in life - and sometimes I just look at them and stare in wonder at what they will become. (let's not fast forward too quickly, because then I will just be old)
So here I am - the guests are gone, the holidays are over and now it's just the countdown. With basketball games, school projects and moving plans all on the schedule, the time will fly. But I'm not going to dwell on that now, I'm just enjoying the time I have left and my fabulous memories of 2013.
So for my New Year's resolution...hmmm. I really never make one because I think it's silly. But if I had to, I think I would try to be a better wife. I think I'm pretty skilled at the mom job, but even after 12 years I definitely have room for improvement in the wife category. I could definitely be less controlling, more patient and generally try to stop nagging the poor guy so much, among other things. Thinking about it, I'm pretty impressed he still likes me after all these years! Feel free to ask him next New Year's Eve to see how that went.
In reality, the fairy tale is not ending. It's just moving to a new setting.
So cheers to 2014!
P.S. The title of this post comes from a very vivid memory of my Grandma Ford. We were watching Wheel of Fortune once (she loved it) and I am NOT kidding - the clue was "What a Difference a Day Makes" and she got it in four letters. It was pretty amazing.
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