We started 2012 off BIG and welcomed our little girl Rhylee into the world. Although we were anxious about the unknown and our 9 month birth plan was thrown out the window, looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.
The next few months were filled with sleepless nights, meltdowns, carpooling and trying to maintain some form of normalcy so it's really just a blur. The saying, "the days are long but the years are short" would define these months well (:
By June, we really found our rhythm with our new family. Trevor just completed his first year of high school...as an honor roll student I may add (: Kenzie was almost finished with her last year of elementary school and was counting down the days until she was done. She hadn't had the best year, personally or academically. She was more than ready for a break. We spent our summer with friends, at the pool, movies, Great Wolf Lodge, Myrtle Beach, parks, and museums. This summer was the first time I've been able to spend so much time with my kids. It wasn't as easy to transition into the roll of SAHM as I thought but there were moments that God pressed on my heart that reminded me why this was so important to our family at this time.
Jarrod and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary in June. We took the kids and our mother-in-law to the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord. We enjoyed an anniversary dinner, just the two of us, at one of our favorite places, Texas Land and Cattle.
July was emotional for me...my baby, my first born, was turning 16?! 16, was this really happening? As much as I hate to let him grown up, I couldn't be more proud of the man he is becoming. He is now old enough to understand and is fully aware that he learns and interacts with people differently because of his Aspergers. I have loved watching him work so hard to not allow his disability to be an excuse for why he can't do something but the reason for why he tries so hard. He is in such a better place than I was at his age. He loves the Lord and you can tell by the way he chooses to live his life. He encourages me in my walk.
And mini-me...can't forget her big birthday in July. Mackenzie turned 11 which in her words, "is practically a teenager". She pushed so hard for a cell phone and was greatly disappointed when she didn't receive one. She is at that age where she is trying so hard to be grown up but still loves being a kid. DON'T RUSH...be a kid as long as you can. I gave up my childhood way too early. I love that she plays with her dolls and still has an imagination. To celebrate both birthdays, we spent a few days at Myrtle Beach with grandma and Chris.
August brought new adventures for our family. I finally got to visit the west coast and I spent my birthday with my bestie in California. After returning from Ca, we kicked off our new school year at Monarch Prep. Although my husband had been encouraging me to home school for some time, I was extremely hesitant. I'm still not 100% over the moon with excitement about homeschooling but I can say that I do find great joy in doing it...even on the difficult days. It's a lot more work than I thought it would be but it's easier than I expected...if that makes sense (: I realized early in our school year that the kids were really good at memorization but not so good at comprehension. I love the flexibility in our days and that I am able to encourage them in areas they love and in areas they struggle.
The last few months of the year were spent focusing on our big move to Virginia and homeschooling. I did get to spend a birthday weekend with two of my favorite people at the beach in September. Just a girls getaway and much needed for all of us (: Rhylee had her first Halloween and was Cinderella. We spent thanksgiving day at the house, just the 5 of us, relaxing and watching movies. We did get to eat and visit with family the following weekend. We were hoping to be settled in our new home before Christmas but that didn't happen. The holidays looked a little different for us this year; no decorations, no gifts and all my kids weren't home. As hard as this was for me, to not have my ideal Christmas, it was a great reminder about what the holiday is really about. Trevor reminded us that Christmas is not about trees or presents. He kept quoting the Grinch to remind us that Christmas isn't about material things. Gotta love that boy (: Mackenzie spent December with her dad in Illinois. This was her longest time away from home and I think it was harder on me than her.
So here we are...the beginning of this new year. We are counting down the days until Rhylee's first birthday.
Welcome 2013!! My prayer is that I will embrace the trials of 2012 and learn to appreciate the lessons I gained from them.
- Don't sweat the small stuff
- Don't let my wants exceed my needs
- Find joy in my circumstances
- Remember that as much as I try...I am NOT in control
I've loved living through another year of life with you <3 I appreciate you and your family soooo much!
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