The Best of Bio Girl 2013

Today wraps up what has been the hardest year of my life, and with the end of 2013 comes a lot of mixed emotions. I am happy to be here, surrounded by loved ones, yet my heart is breaking to be missing someone I love so dearly.  A new year... it's another milestone in the list of "firsts" when you are struggling with grief, and it's hard.  But I am trying to focus on the good, hoping and praying that 2014 happy memories and lots of time together.

Every year* on New Years Eve I post a compilation of the years best blog posts, but it too is hard this year.  How much grief do I include in my "best" writing?  Because mixed in with the funny and cute posts this year is a lot of heartbreak.  But this was my year, and I am going to pick my best posts, even if they are sad.  Because some of the sad ones are the most honest of 2013, but there was humor and love here too...  So here we go...

• We will start with the the hardest thing I have ever written in my life, which I feel like did as good of a job as was possible capturing the spirit of my sweet baby sister.  
• Two other posts I am incredibly proud of, not because of my writing but because of the amazing outpouring of love and support from you all, are my Grey for Missy  and Candles for Missy posts.  Thank you all who participated. 
•  From here posts will just sorta go in chronological order...here is the one from January with our Lego House battle... I still think he BARELY BEAT ME.
• I don't know... all of February is filled with grief.  It's not the best or worst, it's just a month of heartbreak. 
• But then in March my heartache eases enough for me to write about Henry's girlfriend at school.
• And then there was this one about who Henry really looks like.
• In March Henry and I were both working out how to express our grief, Henry found a great way.
• I discovered why it is a BAD IDEA to bring your sick child to work.
• This year Henry turned four... and that held all the fanfare of birthdays past...
• In June I told you about an important member of our family...
• But June also held some very hard days.
• In July we went on vacation.
• And we also discovered Lego's unknown body part.
• In August I wrote this post about Henry being awesome. 
• And then in September I tell you about why I got braces.
• We discovered the reality of four year old soccer.
• In October these moments were captured of me and Henry, and I love them.
• Nick and I celebrated seven years married, fourteen years together.
• November brought us... Oh lord, NaBloPoMo...this post is making it in just because it still makes me laugh.
• Here is a blog post mostly written by Nick, which is also hilarious.
• Here are a couple of short but sweet posts about Henry.
• And then this one about passing on the love of reading to my boy.
• And one final one from November about Missy, and having things take on new meaning.
• And now we are to December! The home stretch!  Which included the most epic fall of my life.
• And also, you know, Christmas, which was full of magic.  

So that's it!  The best of Bio Girl 2013.  There are too many posts on the list, and I should go through and weed some out, but I am not going to.... it is what it is!  Read, enjoy, see you next year.

*This is a tradition that has been going on for SEVEN YEARS.   That's a lot of blogging.  (If you would like to see years past, here are links:  2007, 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 and 2012) .