A big year of change!

2010 was truly a big year of change for our little family! Some were really big changes and some were little, but it just seemed like every month something changed in our lives!

I remember that Christmas of last year (2009) Hailey finally learned how to clap! And we were so proud of her- it was such a big deal...and to think, now she's running, climbing, jabbering away, and taking care of her little brother. When I think about all that she's changed in a year I seriously almost cry- she's definitely not my baby anymore- she became a big girl, pretty much all in this past year! She's gonna be 2 in a few short weeks and I'm really NOT ready for that!

We bought a rental this year, too! It had always been a dream of Korey's to own a rental and we purposefully bought a smaller house thinking that someday we'd like to be able to afford a rental and after owning our house for 4 years the time finally came! It was a huge step of faith for us, especially considering that we bought it only a month before Jackson was born, but it has turned out remarkably well! We've only owned it for about 5 months, but so far we are really happy with how well things are going and we love the renters that we have in it.

Not many of the exciting changes in our life have made me feel as old as the fact that my little brother got married this summer! I know that we're only 3 years apart, but for some reason it just doesn't seem right for him to be growing up and getting married! :) (and I shouldn't be old enough to have a brother that is old enough to get married!!)

probably the biggest change for our family this year was the birth of our sweet little man, Jackson! This time last year I didn't even know I was pregnant and I was just looking back at an old journal that I had started in January of 2008 and it was full of prayers begging God to give me a child and a few letters written to the child that I knew God would bring in to my life someday! It really shocked me to think that in only 3 short years God not only answered those prayers, but blessed me above and beyond what I asked for, in the giving of Jackson. I had begged for one child and so far he's given me two! I guess we'll just have to wait and see how generous He's going to be in the coming years! ;)

One of the sweetest changes of the year has been Korey and Hailey's relationship. Hailey always was a Daddy's girl- she reached for him first, she said "dada" first, and she's always had him wrapped right around her little finger- from the day she entered this world, but, it has never been as pronounced or as cute as it has been this year! She's really taken her "daddy wrapping" to a whole new level and she has him- hook, line and sinker! What other Dad do you know gets a deer and the first thing he does is call home and say, "can you get hailey dressed up so I can take a picture with her?" I just absolutely love it and I'm pretty sure she does, too. (not to mention how much her Papa loves it!) I'm so excited about all the new things that this past year brought us and I can't wait to see what God has in store for our family in 2011! (and...I'm actually sort of hoping that it's not another baby, 'cause we don't wanna keep up the pace of a baby a year...that just sounds exhausting!)

I have always loved the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, but this year, the verses that I'm going to claim for my family and for myself are the two verses that come after that:
"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and pray to me and I will answer you. You will seek me and you will find me, when you seek after me with your whole heart!" Jeremiah 29:11-13 (italics added)

I just love the promises of God found in these verses and I pray that you and I both will have a year of seeking after the Lord with our whole hearts, calling on Him and praying to Him! Because then I know that there is nothing that the year 2011 will bring that we can't handle! Apart from God I am nothing and will accomplish nothing- but with God's help and God's strength there is nothing that this world can throw at me that I can't handle! (even another baby...) ;)

Bring it on 2011- me and God are so ready!! :)