See you 2012, welcome 2013!

Alrighty everyone- this is going to be a long one. I love to re-cap the year both from the news, and events in the family!
I can't believe how time flies by the older you get. Every year is faster and faster!

Let's start with national news headlines that really stuck out for me. I got my information courtesy of The Hill and Deseret News.

-President Obama wins reelection: Obama got what every president wants: a second term. With his place in the history books secure — and no concerns his initial win will be seen as fluke — Obama, who took 51 percent of the popular vote and won 332 electoral votes, will begin his second term on Jan. 20. 

-Fiscal cliff: Plan B, sequester, tax rates — the “fiscal cliff” encompassed a variety of political and financial issues whose fallout will be felt far into 2013. In the beginning of the year, about $500 billion in tax increases and $200 billion in spending cuts are scheduled to take effect.

Fiscal cliff negotiations are still in the works- and, apparently, there is a 72 hour window for the vote and compromise to come to an agreement that they can then back date it to 2012 to avoid the cliff drop off.

-Benghazi attack: The attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, derailed the ambitions of one of Obama’s closest advisers and could impact the 2016 presidential race if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opts to run. The attack, which resulted in the death of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others, led to questions about what the administration knew about its origins, became a key moment in the final presidential debate and saw U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice withdraw from consideration for secretary of State after Republicans charged her with giving misleading information about the attack. Clinton was scheduled to testify before Congress in early December about the attacks but had to cancel because of illness. She is expected to appear in 2013.

-Gun violence: The shocking killings in December of 26 people including 20 young children at Sandy Hook Elementary School was the latest in a string of mass shootings that reopened the national debate over gun control and led Obama to launch a multi-agency effort to curb gun violence led by Vice President Biden. Mass shootings at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., and a Sikh temple in Wisconsin also made headlines, but it was Sandy Hook that left staunch gun-rights supporters — like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) — talking about the need for reform and put the NRA on the defensive. 

Stories that have hit closer to home include:

Powell family tragedy

The death of Susan and Josh Powell's two young sons, Charlie and Braden Powell, at the hands of Josh Powell on Feb. 5 reverberated throughout the year, even as Susan Powell remains missing and presumed dead, and the grandfather of the children languishes in prison on voyeurism-related charges. The story galvanized residents of two states and called into question the work of West Valley police, and it brought into stark focus how the failings of two fathers destroyed a family and harmed others with whom they came in contact.

Josh Powell gruesomely murdered his children by luring them into his home ahead of the child services supervision, chopped them alive with an axe, then blew his home up. 

Wildfires and drought

Wildfires ravaged Utah, including along the Wasatch Front in Herriman and Alpine, costing one life and millions of dollars in property damage. The fire season was marked by warm, rainless weather as drought gripped Utah and the United States. All of Utah's 29 counties were on the drought disaster list, with 45 percent of the state's rangeland rated as "poor" or "very poor" for vegetation. When more than 50 percent of the country was declared drought-stricken in July, it was the largest area in the country under siege to those conditions since 1956.

Missionary age change

The LDS Church announced a change in the eligible missionary age for LDS young men (from 19 to 18) and women (from 21 to 19) in October, altering the landscape in Utah and immediately increasing missionary applications by the thousands. The impacts of the announcement continue to emerge in higher education, where the University of Utah in November established a policy to allow students accepted to the university to defer the start of their schooling for up to seven semesters, or just more than two years, and in the living rooms of families now assessing when their young men and women will serve missions.

Our family events this year have mostly been good. I am going to mention my top 3. 

-Xander got baptized!! We are so proud of our nephew for choosing to be accountable and follow the teachings of the gospel. He will be so blessed if he keeps the covenants he has made with our Heavenly Father. 

-Dan went full time in his business. We had to make some very difficult financial decisions and sacrifices, but ultimately, it has put us ahead for our future. I am proud of Dan for working so hard and being successful in building and retaining clientele!

-The best news of all- By having faith in the Lord and his timing, we are expecting our first little bundle of joy in 7 short weeks! We are excited for our baby Cameron to join our family!!!

Happy New Year everyone! May we all enjoy peace, love, and prosperity. May we continue to work hard, and keep faith in our Father in Heaven and Savior!!