The end of 2021..

I am pretty sure at the end of 2020 my goal was to blog more.  What a joke! I did not follow through.

I am also pretty sure you are not supposed to blog when you are in a mood and a half, but here I am!  Day 13 of no air conditioning in our apartment, 5 days until Christmas and well just feeling overwhelmed with a lot of life right now.  Hard to fully explain when I make my Instagram feed look like I am happy all of the time.  Truth is I feel like in a lot of ways 2021 was harder than 2020 and I am not really looking forward to 2022.  

And I know I have a TON to be so thankful for this year!! I also know I need to reflect on that big time:

I recently did what I do every end of the year... I tidied up my photos so the of the best for 2021 and here is what I am most thankful for this year: 

We started off with a bang..   living our best after vacation, in quarantine lives in Recoleta! 
 

Our sweet birdy that we watched hatch and grow leaves us in February..  I turn 47..  slowly hope returns to a modify return to school for the girls..   

Ever just get together with friends and run around the city trying to solve a made up crime.. it is highly recommended.. and then drink Gin and Tonics afterwards!

These two queens would get to go to school a whole 6 weeks before Argentina shuts down again...   6 weeks of the 10th and 11th grades were in person, the rest online.  To say I am proud of these kiddos is an understatement.  The made it through with good grades, showed massive amounts of resilience and only cried like every OTHER day..  and put up with me..   HUGE accomplishments

In May I received my first dose of the Sputnik vaccine.. I am forever grateful for this countries desire to try and do the best it can for all of those who live here.  

you can't see them, but under those masks the smiles are BIG.. why??  because this is the LAST time we ever have to visit immigrations..  we are officially permanent residents of Argentina until 2036..... AHHHHH..  best feeling ever knowing we can come and go freely!

OK.. so for June and July I have approximately 9,562 photos.. Ill hit you with my top 5 above.  family.. that is all I wanted to see when we returned home.. my mom and my family.. and we were blessed to do that and more.. we spent time with Scott's family, my family and saw friends that we hadn't seen in years!!!  We lucked out this trip big time!

We also got stuck in the USA because Argentina limited flights and the girls were anxious because they were late to school starting.. etc.. etc.. OH and we moved during that time so when we came home we were in a new apartment..  thank god for movers!!   but we were so thankful to be home for a bit to fill up the heart!

August.. yeah.. home.. and this cutie above turned 16!!   and school started.. and like not just 3.5 hours a day.. BUT ALL DAY.. sorta normal life is returning and it's GREAT

What usually happens after I have been home.. I am homesick.. and Nola gets her Senior Sweatshirt and time is marching on!  

My Aunt Pat passes away of lung cancer in September.  Please don't smoke.. she was too young.. and I miss her.   

In October I seem to eat out a lot, spend some quality time with friends and then find some tranquility amongst the busy noise that I felt going on everywhere that month.  

November this kid gets her stuff for college all submitted and a piece of me cries.. but not in front of her.. I am really proud of her and I am so excited to see where she lands!!!!   The world isn't fully ready for how amazing she is!!

December.. what a month.. and it is only the 20th.. the school my girls go to, the parent group, hosts International Day.. LIVE.. the first time on campus as a group since March 2020.. I am filling with happiness.  I find some new friends (which I am not good at) and my sweet baby turns 18..  and now she can legally drink (in Argentina)..  

I also continue to use public transport and since this Christmas tree is much better than my wonky, found in storage, not even my tree, Christmas tree.. it stays

Happy Holidays..  may we all find peace, happiness, hope and love...