familySmilestones: Happy New Year!

What a difference a year makes . . . We really felt that this Christmas!

Christmas 2009:
We stayed in Fargo for Christmas . . . waiting, as patiently as we could, for Pinky to arrive. It was one of the few Christmases neither of us were home with our families and it was hard. My sister and her family were here in town, but their house was full of change, as she had just arrived home with their oldest daughter, and were adjusting to life as a family of 7.

My parents and brother celebrated with a few family and friends, but for the most part, it was a pretty quiet Christmas on the farm. And Cory's family was also scattered about. A snowstorm hit the state and kept us all close to home, but far apart, Christmas Day. Not at all what we are used to at Christmas.

My family was finally together for New Year's, when we celebrated a belated Christmas. But first, my mom had to undergo her final chemo treatment New Year's Eve morning. We joked that she had her New Year's "cocktail" early . . . but in all honesty, it was a huge (HUGE) day for us after a long fall of surgery, chemo, and doctor appointments!

On New Year's Eve, after the kids were in bed and the clock had struck 12 . . . we sat around and shared our "highs" and "lows" of 2009. Our highs were high in 2009, but our lows were low . . . and for the most part, we were ready to start a new year . . . with hope for a healthy and happy 2010!

Christmas, 2010:
We were ALL HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS! And it was wonderful! My family was all together on Christmas Eve. We enjoyed candlelight service together, although this year I didn't light my candle . . . It's not safe with an 11-month-old! Cory's family celebrated Christmas Day . . . and both of his grandmas were with us! The 26th, we were all at the farm for a sledding and early birthday party for Pinky. And for the next week, we enjoyed our time with our families (with the exception of the days the stomach flu hit!). We listened to our favorite Christmas CDs, played games, watched movies, played in the snow, ate our favorite holiday treats and drank lots of "snowman soup" and pots and pots of coffee. It was wonderful!

New Year's Eve, we celebrated my mom's 60th birthday at the farm with friends. It was a "super" night . . . celebrated "super hero" style. We ate "super foods", drank "wonder"-ful drinks, dressed in our own unique "super hero" style, and laughed the night away! One of my nephews declared the party "awesome"!

At the end of the night . . . or beginning of the morning . . . we sat around and once again shared our highs and lows of 2010. Our lows were low, but didn't feel as low as they had a year ago. And our highs felt even higher. Ours of course was the birth of Pinky . . . and every day since has been one high after another. She is a joy . . . and it was an absolute JOY celebrating her first Christmas with our families!

God has truly blessed us in 2010. We look forward to many highs in 2011 . . . and know God will help us through any lows that may come our way.

Happy New Year!