It’s always fun and a little bit weird to skim back through blog posts from the past year. It feels like a virtual memory lane of sorts.
As I re-read a few of these posts, I have to say that 2013 was overall a pretty exceptional year. Everett took his first steps and said his first words, both of which were nothing short of magical. I spent two amazing weeks in Liberia, an experience I will forever remember and cherish. We said goodbye to our first house and all of the memories that went with it. Brett and I celebrated six years of marriage and nine years of being together. I flew to South Carolina alone and attended an amazing conference that left me feeling inspired and encouraged in my writing. I did 45 photo sessions this year, which was both awesome and crazy.
This was the first full year that Brett and I were parents. It was wonderful and hard; beautiful and messy. There were a few Really Difficult Moments. We are still learning how to offer grace to one another, how to be patient, and how to make our marriage a priority amidst parenting duties.
Saying goodbye to our first house was emotional, but our new place has a lot of character and is walking distance to Chipotle (AKA: we really love it here). I was reminded that no matter where we live or where we go, as long as we are together, we will be home.
Overall, 2013 was good to us. The posts below were my personal favorites, not necessarily the most read or the ones with the most comments. As usual, thank you for allowing me to share my heart, stories, and pictures with you.
The fine line – Thoughts on social media and comparison, intentions and jealousy.
The leap – Why I am terrified of having another child.
Things I do and things I don’t do – Exactly what it sounds like.
Growth charts be gone – Why I think growth charts are stupid.
Friendships worth fighting for – What if we stopped giving up on friendship so easily?
Our love story – AIM chats and a promise ring: the story of how Brett and I fell in love.
What I learned in my first year of motherhood – Lessons and epiphanies upon Everett’s first birthday.
A house full of baby – Things I don’t ever want to forget about what it’s like to have a baby in the house.
The last time – A post about last times and my beloved ergo carrier.
Our favorite baby items – 100% Ashlee & Everett approved.
An ode to our first little house – A celebration of our first home.
A day in the life – A typical morning, afternoon, and evening in our house.
Dear Mom on the iPhone – Another perspective.
On Amani and the importance of buying handmade – What I learned during my two weeks in Liberia.
and my personal favorite blog post of 2013…
Didi and the milky way tradition – The story of how I ended up sharing chocolate with a nine year-old at the Greenville airport.
