2012 Highlight Reel

I was feeling overwhelmed...and I said it, "Ugh. 2012. I hope next year is better. This has NOT been a fun year."

My friend agreed. She knew what all I'd been through.

Then a silly thing happened. I clicked on Facebook's "review of 2012" and I laughed as I remembered some great times.

Hmmmm.

So, I went on a hunt. Through my Instagram pics and our regular camera shots and I've put together a little rather lengthy highlight reel of this past year.

I discovered, to my delight, that this was a really good year!

True, a lot of hardship took place.

Like way more than is due in one year. Some things are too personal to share, but some appear below.

But...there were some great things that happened too--and I do NOT want to miss out on rehearsing those, because this year can go down however I want it to.

And since life is 90% attitude and only 10% what happens to you, then I am claiming this as a good year.

Here we go:

We had some AMAZING adoption things happen:

We witnessed the amazing progression of Zeb learning to live in a family.

We went from being Zeb's legal guardians to his full fledged mommy and daddy!

Just a few weeks later, we said YES the God about adopting this special needs baby in China!!!

At 1 year

At 18 months

 Then, we learned that HE COULD WALK!!!!! (We fully expected wheelchair and multiple surgeries and years of therapy before he would walk!)

Just before his 2nd birthday

And we have watched God do the AMAZING thing of bringing in EVERY SINGLE PENNY as we need it to bring him home too! (When we said YES to the Lord we had absolutely no money for another adoption!) We still need to raise $11,000 but this is our Adopt Together account at the present moment!

We all had birthdays too:

In March...

In May...

In July...

In August...

In spite of dear hubby's planning, this is the only shot we have of my 40th birthday cake. Doesn't matter. Nope.
Oh and please ignore that whining child hanging on my arm. ;)

In October...

And we had a wonderful string of "firsts" too...

First trip to the ocean!

Not to be outdone...Zeb followed in his older brother's footsteps:

My girls made front page news with our amazing mailman:

Zeb's first time going to school:

My mom turned 70! (her first time ever!) hee hee:

The girls showed calves at the local county fair for the first time:

Oliver went fishing in Lake Erie for the first time: (but doesn't he look like he's been at it for years?)

I got to attend the Ohio State vs. Michigan game with my dad for the first time! (...and we won! And happily that was NOT the first time!)

And a few other things happened that we wish didn't:

I got sick with a parasite that plagued me for 4 months. Dry cheerios was a staple.

Anneli broke her arm. Again. (3rd time! But at least it was the other arm!)

Zeb had his tonsils and adenoids removed. Happy boy before surgery. Not so happy boy for two weeks after!

Another round of croup for our littlest one: (she looks quite happy, but it wasn't really the case!)

And the coup de gras, Brian's lung spontaneously collapsed putting him out of work for weeks, in two hospitals for 10 days and enduring painful chest tubes and a surgery. It was the first time in 16 years he had ever taken off his wedding ring.

But as I choose to memorialize this year, I want to remember these kind of moments:

They were abundant and so sweet.

Sweet times with precious friends.

Yes, all these kids with just two mothers!

Finding the beauty all around:

Okay, you are right, this isn't around our neck of the woods...but the beauty from that morning on the beach was unparalleled!

 Making memories.

Being a family. Delighting in one another.

And as I look back now, this year was jam packed full of highs as well as lows. I would be remiss to want "rid" of 2012. I choose to remember this as a VERY GOOD YEAR. We are made strong by our adversities and our character grows and deepens. Hallelujah!

Wishing you all the best in the New Year and hoping you see the hand of God move in your lives!

And I leave you with this image to guide your heart into praise for our amazing God:

More Blessed to Give...

Know who these sweet girls are?

Two precious gals in my life!

One is Lara, a well-known blogger and momma to one of Zeb's former orphanage-mates. A dear boy named Ambrose whom I hope we can see again soon someday!

The other is Rebecca, a precious ten year old orphan, formerly living in one of the children prisons that Sixty Feet serves.

Lara just posted this picture on my wall all the way from Uganda!

Rebecca has been "ours" for about 6 months now. We sponsor her through the work that Lara does for Sixty Feet. Rebecca's story is not mine to share here but she has been a great delight in our life. We have her picture up and our kids love to pray for her and write her letters. We sent a bundle of pictures over to her and we were so happy to receive pictures hand drawn and letters back to us.

This precious life is changed because of the work that Sixty Feet does...and I want you to know that our giving to support her is really a BIG deal to her, but it is OUR BLESSING that is greater.

Lara told me today that Rebecca clung to her all day long today and told her repeatedly how she prays for us.

Prayer.

Honestly, there is no more powerful force. Hailing the Lord Almighty, this dear child cries out on our behalf.

That moves me.

Amazes me.

Soon, she'll be praying for another orphaned child in China. A little one we are working to bring home. She doesn't know about him now, but she will soon, and I am sure, she will ask for God to open doors and provide the funding.

We may give to her, but truly, WE are the truly blessed ones!

Tis more sweet to give than to receive!!!

My little gifts!!

Isn't this so sweet?

I love being surrounded by these dear little gifts!!

Totally head over heels in love with these FIVE CHILDREN the Lord has seen fit to bless me with!!!

THANK YOU, LORD!!!!!!