2008 Years End

This year started out with Jonathan and I deciding to get our house ready to put on the market. So in March Jon took some time off and painted the whole exterior of the house. We put in some new appliances and cleaned and decluttered this house from top to bottom. During the process of finding a Realtor we found the house of our (realistic) dreams. We both "fell hard" for this house and could just picture ourselves in by Christmas of this year. Alas, this was not God's plan for us. That house sold rather quickly and then the economy really started falling apart and we decided due to impending recession and house prices dropping quickly we would not try to sell the house this year. I can't say that I wasn't very disappointed that our plan was not God's plan. So we are still in the same house that we purchased in July 2004. We both try very hard to be content with where we are because it is a nice home and has served all of our needs wonderfully. We're just ready for something that will give us some elbow room because we always feel cramped in our current home. We are praying 2009 will be the year God decides to move us!

This summer Aden took swimming lessons for the first time and although he didn't learn to swim, he did learn how to hold his breath under water, which is a big plus! Also this summer Jonathan turned the big 30! It's weird to think that I am now the age he was (24) when we met and started dating and he has officially left his 20's. I have been dealing with mortality and the process of life a lot this year. It's weird for me to think that this upcoming year I will be the age my mom was when she had me. It's weird for me to think that Aden is almost 4 and Emma is 14 months already and that we are celebrating our 5th anniversary on January 3rd. It's all so strange to me because it literally feels like yesterday that I was 18 and meeting Jon for the first time. It really makes me appreciate the simple things in life and it is helping me learn to let go of the things that are not truly important. These young years with my children are so fleeting and I want to savor each day to the fullest!

A good friend of mine, Shelly, and I prayed about starting up a mom's Bible study this year. I have always had a passion for helping other women and sharing God's Word with them, so I knew this was clearly an opportunity from the Lord. In September we started "A Moment For Mom's" Bible study with 6 women. It has been such a blessing to me, to fellowship with these women, study the scriptures in order to prepare the lessons and really feel like God has been using me for a purpose I have felt called to since I was a young teenager! I pray God will continue to use me in 2009!

Our baby girl Emma turned 1 on October 4th this year. We celebrated with a big cookout party with all the people who had been apart of her first 12 months of life. I realized at this gathering that God has blessed us with some very good Christian friends, all of whom I am very grateful. Now Emma is walking, saying a few words and getting into everything she possibly can! It's definitely been a year of firsts, as we watched her roll over in February, sit up soon there after, pull up and crawl in the summer, go from formula, to baby food,to table food, and walk in October. That first year of life hold so much change and growth and if you blink it's over...Also in October we went to the Outer Banks for 4 days. The weather was perfect and we all had a great time. The kids, especially Aden, were overly excited and energized the whole time but they both did wonderfully. We can't wait go back in 2009!

In November my best friend since 6th grade, Julianna, got married! Since I am an only child it was the first time I had really experienced the closest thing to what it would be like to have a sibling get married. Honestly it was hard for me because i had to face that things would change in our friendship and I am not too good at change. She and I have always had a 2-3 hour distance between us but have always been able to get together 6+ times a year because one or both of us weren't tied down with responsibilities. Even after I got married and had kids, I was a stay at home mom and she only worked part time so on some of her week days off she would drive down and spend the day with me. I have always loved her visits and our times together. I realized when she got married that, first off she would be moving to Maryland, which would make it a 3-4 hour distance between us, second she would be working full time, and third she had a husband to spend her free time with! It wasn't like she could just take off on the weekends to come see me, because married couples usually have stuff going on during the weekends. And to top it off, I knew she would have a new best friend, Jason, her husband, the man with whom she would share the rest of her life. I've come to realize that even though our friendship went through a change, it doesn't mean we wont' still be close friends. We just have to do things differently:)

Christmas was a whirlwind this year! We did our traditional things, having a Christmas party with friends, building a gingerbread house, driving around to see lights, taking the kids to see Santa, going to my parents for Christmas Eve and Jon's family for Christmas afternoon and evening. I was very excited and surprised when Jon presented me with the journey diamond necklace I have been wanting for awhile now! The kids got tons of new fun toys and we spent a whole day getting their things organized and put away. All in all it was a very good Christmas, just went by too fast.

My hopes for this upcoming year is that God would move us into a new bigger house, Jon will do well at going back to college (he's going back for his Bachelors!!), that Jon's current job will continue to provide for us and that Jon will continue to do well at it and enjoy it, that God will use both Jon and I in many ways throughout the year, that I will be a more patient mom, and a more doting wife, and that I will really enjoy each moment of 2009!