The year 2012 is drawing to a close. It has been quite a year for me and my family. I started this blog this year and so many times have been surprised and pleased when I have found out that people are reading along with my family and our exploits.

Since April, almost 10,000 views of my blog have been shared with you all. What a privilege!! I posted 190 posts and you all rode (and read) along. The busiest day on the blog was the day Bruno left for his surgery at Texas A&M. Almost 300 people read along that day.

This year has brought my mother to Texas to spend her final time with me and my family. It has not been easy but then I would tell my girls, what worthwhile-ever is? I love her so much and am glad to have her so close. I could not have imagined what the time with her and her nursing home friends have come to mean to me. What a surprise!

This year brought baby Kendyll, Ally continues to remind me that I don’t like babies. It is not so much that I don’t like babies I just enjoy the kids even more as they grow older and are more verbal, easier to get them to react to things (and learn new things). Baby Kendyll is my fourth grandchild and each one is unique and special. I would have never known that I would have loved them all so much.

My three daughters are spots of enormous pride for me. From the choices they have made with their families to their education and lives they have pursued. They are beautiful, intelligent, talented women. I could not have hoped for more.

This year brought Feather surprisingly out of Florida to our Texas home. Wow, it has not been an easy match up. Beautiful Feather is scared, timid, and reluctant but when she heads to a jump she forgets everything else in her world and SOARS. I have never seen anything like it. I don’t know if we will unlock all the potential that Feather has or not. But hopefully, day by day, we earn a little more of her trust. In 2013 she will be the go-to horse for us, heading into the ring with Lauren in the irons. I can’t wait to see how she does.

The year also brought Mickey to his knees literally sick to the point of not being able to jump or get around a course. We nursed him through it while we reported his progress. Lauren and he fell short at the Zone Finals. Not every story has a happy ending. This is not fiction but our lives. Maybe he will find an opportunity to jump for Arianna this year or maybe he is ready to be retired (at least semi), more for us to learn in 2013.

And finally, the story of Bruno, the handsome, giant OTTB with the bad foot who I thought we were nursing back to soundness for a few months. After surgery and a projected year-long healing process, I did not get what I had originally bargained for when I discussed taking Bruno from Sherre. It is day 13 today. Another change of the bandage, another time to clean the stall, another time to worry about how he is doing in the cold, damp weather that has wrapped around south Texas. No, I did not get what I had bargained for at all. I do not know how his story will end. I cannot see the light at the end of that tunnel yet. But just as my son-in-law called Bruno “indescribable”, he is. He has that special something that certain champions have, so no, I did not get what I bargained for at all. I got so much more.

2013 will be a year for me to work harder at my job, finally starting to understand the nuances of the new industry I entered. I will start to give more than I am taking as an employee and that will make me proud. In this next year, I will ride more, laugh harder and spend more time with my mother and family. I will try not to be so concerned with schedules and rituals. I promise I will continue to write even if I bore you to tears, because my writing is the best of me.

I am so grateful and thankful for 2012 and all of you that I have gotten to know so much better. To a new year, new opportunities, new horizons and grand sunsets. May be peace and love follow you into this new year.