Happy Christmas and Merry New Year. And all that jazz.

Christmas was so wonderful. I'll have to come back to that and recap later but it was. ... It's New Year's Eve and I'm sitting on my best friend's couch... she's here, holding the baby--who's snoring, my husband is next to me playing angry birds, the older children are down stairs playing trains (ah, the power of a monitor) and cousin Kaitlyn is playing her own game. It's quiet and happy here. The dishwasher is running, the children are laughing (of course there is the occasional "Heeeeey." or "Marrrrrrrk." or "I had that first!!!" but ... that's part of it, isn't it?), there isn't a pressing schedule or an agenda... in fact any plans we had for this trip went down down down the toilet (and I do mean that literally)... being visited by the puke bug ((Which makes TWO Christmases in a ROW for Matthew)) makes any plans made obsolete. There will be other trips for dates and dinners and movies. As I sit here, I'm trying to think of something witty or clever or even sarcastic, but I can't, so I'll move on. It was awful. I'm so glad it's over. Of the five kids, only one hasn't been sick yet. Of the four adults, two. But even amid that, it was a nice trip. As soon as Micah is up and fed again we'll be leaving and perhaps it seems odd to be sitting here, typing about our trip when we're not even left yet, however the opportunity presented itself. The quiet is such a rare thing in my world. So while it's quiet I thought I'd take a glance back at this past year, as it's fitting to do on New Year's.

I'm sitting here without a calendar or anything to refresh my memory, but the most notable thing in 2011 was the birth of my third son. Micah Henry was born in March. He's our miracle baby, our Micah Bear, our love, our joy, the troll and destroyer. . . He's my little blondie. Everyone asks me "Oh, were Matthew and Mark born light haired too?" Nope. Just Micah Bear. This was a very special and precious time for me. My mom gave up so much. She sacrificed quite a bit to help me in this time, for a lengthy time, and I'm so grateful for her help in welcoming Micah to this world. I don't know what we'd have done without you dear Mom.

In March besides adding a newborn to our house, we also added a full time Daddy. Jamie received an interview phone call while we were in labor with Micah-- no joke-- in the hospital. He began his new job at the end of the month! He's been working from home ever since. There is the occasional traveling involved, but mostly he's home full time. It's wonderful. There was a lot of learning to do with a new baby and a new job, but we've learned a new dance in this life and it's a nice one.

There was family coming and going most of the spring. And then the big event of 2011 happened in June... Matthew's fifth birthday... no! Just kidding! on June 25th, my sister married the man of her dreams. I am so blessed by their marriage. Brian is such a wonderful man and she is so happy. I'm so tickled for her and am excited to see what comes their way. God has truly blessed the two of us with such wonderful husbands. I pray that God continues to bless them.

Matthew started Kindergarten in the fall. (eeeeeeeee!)

My dad was baptized in August and visited us in September, and it was the most wonderful trip we'd ever spent together. The Lord was and still is doing wonderful things in my dad's life.

September also brought Jamie's dad who started staying with us weekly while he had acquired his own new job in Atlanta. We enjoyed a sweet season of Papa staying with us, playing and loving on the boys.

November brought us the best Thanksgiving possible.

December gave Jamie's parents a new house.

And here I am, in MO for a lengthy trip and sadly it's been a not so much fun with all the puking, tummy hurting, headaching, yucky stuff going on, but it's still been good never-the-less. Being with family is good. Regardless of what's going on, regardless of who's sick or well, being with family is just so wonderful. So since the small child has woken up and been passed to his daddy from the best friend and I need to feed him... I guess I'll think about goals and such at a later time. I will say this, I'm looking forward to 2012. I can't wait to see how God continues to faithfully bless and grow my family. I'm excited to see where He will take us in this new year. May I remember to keep HIM as my focus no matter what I'm doing. And I know He will see me through anything that is to come.