So Long, 2011!

2011:  A year in review…

January:  I joined John for a weekend in Portland, Oregon, after a his business trip. We LOVED it- beautiful countryside full of waterfalls, mountains, and rivers and a great city full of culture, amazing views, and delicious food.

March:  We moved into our new house. We couldn’t be happier, but I don’t want to even TALK about moving in the next ten years. We’ve been here nine months, and I’m still trying to decide where to hang pictures.

April:  I again joined John on a business trip- one of my dreams- HAWAII! This was a dream of a getaway for us but marked the beginning of SEVERE separation anxiety for Helen Grace (which is still ongoing).

May:  Helen Grace turned two! We celebrated on the real day with a zoo trip with John and me and later dinner and cupcakes with grandparents. That following weekend, we jumped and bounced with our family and friends at Pump It Up.

June:  This goes down as the worst month ever- two surgeries (melanoma and endometriosis) and a car wreck (I was rear ended on the way to work). Things could only go up from here.

July:  John, HG, and I were honored to be in CB and Emmy’s wedding, and Helen Grace did a great job as a flower girl for the first time.

August:  We said goodbye to our dear Granny Grace but had some very special last visits with her. I have found a frame for Helen Grace’s room with all of her namesakes, and I enjoy seeing GG’s face every time I put HG to sleep. I feel like she is looking over us.

On a visit in March… 

September:  Helen Grace experienced the Grove for the second time. We still haven’t braved going into the stadium with her, but we enjoy playing on the Square while everyone else has cleared out to go to the game.

October:  We experienced the phenomenon that is called trick or treating in our new neighborhood and also Zoo Boo with the cutest little ghost around. She really got into it this year. We also survived the first time that ALL of HG’s grandparents were out of town for several consecutive days.

November:  We visited Aunt Emmy in Philadelphia, MS, for a weekend, and we got our first snow of the winter!

December:  We had another snow and hosted Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It was quite a busy month with holiday and birthday festivities for some of our favorite people! 

We rang in 2012 with our family and friends on New Year’s Eve. All of HG’s grandparents, the Browns (both parents and kids), the Mullins, and the Egners came to play with us. Around 9:00, HG put herself in our bed, so we knew it was time to wind down the shindig. She finally fell asleep (in our bed- a special treat to end the year) around 10:15, despite the roaring kids’ screams and fireworks going on outside. It was a small miracle in itself. 2011 has brought us countless blessings, and we are so excited to see what God has in store for us in 2012!

“Cheese!!” How many people does it take to put up a baby gate?And Isaiah was off chasing Rebel! The chase continues. If only I had been fast enough to catch the shot of him with his feet sticking out from under our bed… Life long BFFs:  Larry, John, CB, Billy Feeding Gabriella The girls thought it was hilarious to take pics of each other. Isaiah found the glasses in HG’s vet kit. And now it’s HG’s turn. “Ok, people, time for bed.” This is how HG and I rang in 2012. I wouldn’t want it any other way!