What a year it has been.  An entire year of living abroad — stretching my own boundaries, learning about . . . well . . . everything, questioning my perspectives, forgiving myself for failing, learning to laugh about the challenges and continually brushing myself off and starting again.

2012 was the year of international travel for us — sledding in the Alps, ascending the Eiffel Tower, wandering through Normandy, visiting home, enjoying the beach, touring castles and moors in England, being sick in Scotland, discovering the wonder of Ireland, driving on the Autobahn in Germany.  All in the past 12 months.  Yep, it’s been quite a year.

Benjamin has pretty well adjusted to school.  He has friends.  He corrects my German.  He learned to ride his pedal bike this summer (in about 10 minutes), had his first surfing lesson from his Uncle Adam and discovered that he loves to ice skate.  He is shockingly brilliant and amazingly sweet.  He is the best big brother Liam could possibly have.

Liam started really talking (a lot).  He runs, jumps, rides his bike, builds Lego towers and constantly amazes us at what he sees and understands.  He went to the beach for the first time (although he didn’t love it).  He adores Benjamin and works to be like him every day.  He has an unending enthusiasm for nearly everything and is the fiercest hugger I know.  This was his first full year living on a single continent.

2012 was an amazing year — one of the most profoundly transformational I’ve yet experienced.  We’ve finally gotten our feet under us here in Vienna.  We can manage our daily lives and our routine transactions (often even in German!).  We’re starting to thrive, rather than just survive.  We know our neighbors, we have friends (friends that even help us move heavy furniture) and we’re really starting to figure things out here.  I’ve made many memories this year that I know I will carry with me forever.  Vielen Dank, 2012!