Yeah, yeah, it's a collab. But I have a sneaking suspicion that Sam's not actually sleeping right now, so I'm on kind of a shot clock. At least it's a long collab.

12 people you're grateful are in your life

1. Eric, my love, of course.
2. Samuel, my wonderful big boy.
3. Gabriel, my sweet little bundle of baby.
4. My mother. (When so many of my friends have no mommies at all, I'm grateful to have one, even if she lives so far away.)
5. My father, with whom my older son laughs and at whose picture my baby stares intently.
6. My brother, to whom I've grown so much closer than when we were children and one of us stuffed handfuls of dirt into the other's mouth. (I'll let you guess who was the stuffer and who was the "stuff-ee.")
7. Alysia, who would be well served to find her hubby a nice niche market in Wisconsin in which to operate his business. (Hey, it's not all cheese and football up here.)
8. Sheila from playgroup, whose son my son adores, whose baby is a precious little stinker, and who might be the closest thing to a close friend I've found up here.
9. Andrea, my midwife. I may not be pregnant anymore, but it's good to have somebody I can call who won't think I'm insane or some kind of "crackpot hippie" if I have health concerns for myself or the boys.
10. Kathy,
11. Laurie,
12. and Protho, my college pals

11 things from the past year you'd put into a time capsule

1. Pictures from Gabe's birth
2. A picture of our old house
3. A picture of our new house, probably with the hole in the kitchen ceiling in the forefront
4. A piece of paper on which Sam has written all the letters he can now write
5. A recording of Sam singing one of his songs and telling one of his stories
6. A family portrait, including my parents and brother
7. My nursing necklace
8. Sand from Myrtle Beach
9. A booklet of all of Eric's recipes
10. A movie of Sam doing somersaults and other "physical feats"
11. One of Gabe's newborn hats, a tiny sleeper, and a pair of baby socks

10 of the best books you've read and/or movies you've seen from the past year

1. How Few Remain
2. American Front
3. Walk in Hell
4. Breakthroughs
5. Blood and Iron
6. The Center Cannot Hold
7. The Victorious Opposition
8. The Time Traveler's Wife
9. Big Fish
10. Return of the King

9 gifts you'd like to receive (be selfish)

1. A curio for my teapots
2. A remodeled bathroom - with a shower!
3. A new computer, and I don't even care whether it's Mac or PC
4. Photoshop to go on the computer
5. A condominium, three bedrooms and two baths, with a nice big yard that I don't have to take care of
6. Lifetime passes on the train from here to Maryland for my family
7. A mother's ring or necklace
8. A new entertainment center with doors that can close and hide the television
9. For our basement to be finished into a dream playroom for the boys

8 things from the past year you could have done without

1. Finding out that this house is falling down around our ears
2. All the back pain that this pregnancy brought
3. Sam breaking my digital camera
4. Gabe's jaundice
5. The fifty billion diapers I've had to change for Sam, who apparently thinks potties are for other kids only
6. Leaving good friends behind in Ohio
7. Sam's asthma diagnosis
8. Certain political low points

7 little things you've done to make the world a better place

1. Brought a new human being into the world.
2. Taught Sam how to get along politely with other people.
3. Helped various women on my birth lists get started with breastfeeding.
4. Donated a bunch of positive parenting books and magazines to Goodwill and to various stores for handing out.
5. Talked with Sam about God.
6. Forgave
7. Voted

6 things you'd like the New Year to bring

1. Healthy babies
2. Healthy spouses
3. Heck, healthy family members all around
4. Plumbing repairs
5. A finished basement
6. Visits from beloved friends

5 people you'd like to plan to get in contact with again during the next year

1. Alysia, though we've never really lost contact
2. High-school friend Amy
3. Laurie
4. Protho
5. Kathy - these last three are in contact with us via email, but we need to plan a reunion soon!

4 people online you'd like to get to know better

1. Aimee
2. Dawn
3. Jennifer
4. The Reverend G., herself

3 habits you'd like to break in the new year

1. Gratuitous cursing, especially around Mr. Big-Ears
2. Sunday late-morning fights
3. Eating beyond when I'm satisfied

2 things you learned about yourself this year

1. I'm afraid of flying.
2. I loved Toledo more than I ever thought.

1 thing that surprised you the most about this past year

Parenting two kids, even when you love doing it, even when you are what you'd consider a capable baby-wrangler, even when you're looking forward to doing it, and even when you think you've anticipated everything there is that could go wrong...is possibly the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life. Harder than grad school. Harder than being a first-time mother. Harder than picking up and moving away from my family. Harder than leg-lifts while nine months pregnant. I'm still enjoying myself, though, and we'll get a handle on it sooner than I think.