January:
*The year started off with Sarah being crowned Homecoming queen. She deserved it. She is an amazing, Godly, incredible, encouraging (except for today, but we won't go there!) sister.
*Nic was coaching at the beginning of the year and ended the basketball season excited for the next season...which has already started and as of now is undefeated...I love to watch him coach...he has so much passion for the game.
February and March:
Nothing really exciting happened. :)
April:
*I finished teaching... for good. It was a bittersweet time. While I have a passion for teaching children and making a difference in their lives, I have a bigger passion for raising my children. This was a HARD decision financially. There were many tears and disagreements when it came to this decision. I was constantly on my knees crying out for God to give us a way for me to stay home with my babies. We made the decision to stay home but had NO idea how we were going to make it without 2 incomes. Do you know how much stress that can be? Of course you do. I started babysitting 2 extra kids, which has been great for Hayden! But, we knew God would see us through our decision and He has...which brings me to a different highlight you will see later...
*I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Colton Robert (middle name from my brother and father). I fall more in love with him every day. I have loved being able to write him letters each month, describing the new things he accomplishes. He is the sweetest little thing in all the world. I can't even describe in words the love that I have for my children.
*One of my best friends, Jaclyn, got married.
May:
*Kristen and Sarah both graduated. Kristen graduated from Cedarville. I couldn't attend the ceremony because I had just had Colton. Two weeks later she left for Fort Wayne to attend PA school at St. Francis. Sarah graduated from high school and left in August for Taylor University. This was a hard time for me because I was now without all my siblings. It was hard but I am so proud of each of them. Adam and Jamie were here for graduation, Open House, and Jamie's baby shower. It was the first time this year that the WHOLE family was together. I always say my heart is content when we are all together.
June:
*Spent many days on the lake.
July:
*Jamie gave birth to my first niece, Rori Pearl. Folks, she is beautiful. She has these beautiful, big blue eyes. I can see both Adam and Jamie in her. I just wish we could live closer so the kiddos could grow up together. On the other hand, I could only imagine the trouble those 3 could get in to.
*More days on the lake.
*My other best friend, Tara, gave birth to beautiful Hannah Lynn. It is so awesome to watch Tara with her own little girl. She glows when she looks at her baby girl.
August:
*Sarah, Kristen, my parents, the kids, Nic and I went to Arizona to meet my baby niece. This was probably the most memorable vacation for me because once again, we were all together. On the ever hand, I knew that once we returned home, real life would happen. Nic back to work, Kristen and Sarah off to school and I would start babysitting.
*Nic and I took the kids to Tennessee for a week and had a blast.
*God opened a door for us and gave us the answer to our many prayers...we joined in a company called Shaklee. We found that this was an opportunity for us, as a family, to do. It has given us an income, which has allowed me to stay home with my babies. We have had an incredible time on this journey so far and can't wait for what the future holds (like the Bahamas and Bora Bora!)
September:
*Mom and I made a couple trips to visit Kris and Sarah with the kids.
October:
*My baby girl turned two years old. We celebrated one weekend while Kristen and Sarah were home and then had a small party with Nic's family and mom and dad and friends. We also went to Chuck E Cheese.
*Nic and I broke out as Director.
November:
*Adam, Jamie, and Rori came for Thanksgiving.
December:
*Nic and I took a weekend get-a-way to Kalamazoo....very much needed time together.
As for the fam...
*Mom and dad are still putting up with me...which is a hard task. They are still the most generous, amazing people ever. The love they have for us children is evident every day. It melts my heart every time I see them with my children. I pray to God every day that Nic and I will be to my kids what my parents are to us.
*Adam is still working for the Border Patrol and is my hero. He is my big brother and I am so proud of that. Him and Jamie are still in Arizona and I miss them dearly. Jamie is loving staying home with her precious daughter.
*Sarah is LOVING the college life and has passed her Praxis for her education degree. I am so proud of her.
*Kristen just finished her 2nd semester with high grades. Again, I am proud of her and her accomplishments. Although her head is usually buried in one of those 4-inch thick books, she always finds time to be with us and spend time with her niece and nephew.
*Hayden is starting to talk more and more, and RUNS EVERYWHERE she goes. She turned 2 this year and has more energy that I can even describe. She brightens up my day whenever she smiles and gives me hugs and kisses. She sure is a firecracker! My day wouldn't complete without her making me laugh until I have tears in my eyes. She is also fearless, which scares me to death. She had her first stitches in early June, which I know will NOT be her last. She climbs everything (mostly on the counters), she jumps off couches, chairs, rocks, pool ledges, she runs...everywhere, she is just FULL of life...and I would have it no other way...except maybe just a little less fearless.
*Colton is my baby boy...my cuddler. I call him my little old man because of the many expressions he has looks like an old man. He is almost crawling already and adores his big sister...even though she likes to sit on him, undress him, and put him in head locks. I am not sure if I am ready for 2 mobile children. I have to admit, I am a little scared about this. Colt and Hayden amaze me everyday. They are my life.
*Nic is still a Patrol Officer and just finished training his first rookie. He continues to amaze me everyday with his love for me and for his children. Like I said before, he is coaching again..which is pretty time consuming so I cherish the time I have with him. I am so proud of him.
I know this may seem like just rambles, but this was my year. I can't wait to see what God has planned for our family in the year 2011.
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