Friday, January 1, 2010

2009 year in review

january
rang in the new year with good friends at a japanese restaurant, then the church, then our house * our worship team did a live CD recording (you should listen to some of it here, it's amazing!) * dathan decided to go back to school * sean was in the hospital for 3 days with a 104.7 temp and severe dehydration. it was so sad to see him so sick, and it was so uncomfortable to sleep on a pull out chair (not couch) with a huge baby belly

february
we had a baby shower for nolan @ church * i turned 26 and had a fun game night w/ friends * spent valentine's day walking around the park trying to go into labor * finally was induced & nolan richard stephens was born on 02/26/09 weighing 10lbs and measuring 23 inches (yes, he was that big & no, i did not have a c-section)


march
my parents were here visiting from california * spent the beautiful days outside, even some watching dathan play baseball with other guys from church * we started working on our laundry room/extra half bath (and by we i really mean dathan) * i decided to start a blog


april
made my first attempt at shopping by myself with both boys * we did a walk to raise awareness for child abuse & funds for prevention * my brother brian & his wife candace came to visit and all of my siblings were here at the same time * we spent easter at my in laws house * our church did an outreach at the university of northern alabama

may
dathan was gone for work in north carolina & i spent about 5 days at home with both boys (and several teen girls from church who kept me company) * i got my hair done for mother's day * sean got a hair cut as well * spent a lot of time outside enjoying the beautiful weather having picnics in our front yard & coloring with chalk * had a wonderful memorial day with close friends




june
one of my best friends, erin, came to visit from cali * spent practically every day at a park or in the water at the splash pad * my brother timmy moved back home to california (he lived here in alabama) * i decided to go back to school * dathan built a beautiful deck onto his parents house * we celebrated father's day grilling out on that deck * sean had his first dentist's visit * sean went to his first vbs * nolan went swimming for the first time


july
we had a big 4th of july party at our house * we spent even more hot days at the playground and/or splash pad * our church did a worship outreach at the park downtown * my parents came to visit again * a big storm knocked a huge chunk of our tree onto our house but the Lord protected us and we had no damage



august
we went on a riverboat with my parents & dathan's parents * nolan had his first haircut (and cried the whole time) * dathan & i celebrated our 5th anniversary and were able to get away for a few days and enjoy each other with no kids * sean turned 3 and had a super hero birthday party (which my brother & sister in law drove from oklahoma to come to) * we went to the children's museum and zoo

september
we went to the beach with our close friends * i shot my first wedding at the beach * our church had it's first annual hillbilly dinner


october
dathan turned 30 and i surprised him with getting to dj on a local radio station * i shot my second wedding * we went to the pumpkin patch with my in laws (dathan's parents, sister, and her daughter) * our church had a fall festival for the kids * spent halloween at a local church for a fall family festival


november
nolan was dedicated at our church * our tree exploded with leaves and we had a lot of fun playing in them * i shot my third wedding * we celebrated thanksgiving at my in laws

december
my parents & brother came to visit * we drove to nashville to go to the pioneer woman's book signing * had an early christmas with my family at our house * enjoyed looking at lots of christmas lights * i did countless family photo shoots * went to our friend's tacky christmas party * spent christmas at my in laws * both boys got sick (sean with bronchialitis and nolan with a double ear infection and rsv) * my best friend erin came to visit again * spent new years eve playing wii and fun games with good friends


2009 was an amazingly blessed year yet such a trying and testing one as well. we are so thankful for all God blessed us with... especially the miracle of life in nolan joining our family! we are so excited to have said goodbye to 2009 and embrace 2010 with open arms! we know this year is going to be great for us and we are claiming the goodness, favor, & love of the Lord over our family and yours!

happy new year!

2 comments:

hanneyjo said...

Great post! i loved it!

--Johanna

Anonymous said...

I love this idea to recap! It was awesome to see your cute little family grow!