Happy New Year Friends,
Another year has passed and 2011 has arrived. And again as last year I'm amazed at how time has flown. That we are at the beginning of a new year, yet it seems as if last year just flew by.
We were blessed this year to spend Christmas week until New Years up at my in-laws cabin on Blewett Pass and it gave my husband and I some time to reflect on the blessings of 2010. We've seen God's hand directing our family this year in so many ways, yet it seems so easy to overlook the miracles when we rush into the next year, focusing on new goals and issues. Here's a brief look at our review.....
2010.....we began the year parents to our 3 boys, struggling in home school with learning issues, I didn't know how to fix, foster parents to two little ones, I was driving the little ones weekly 2 hours one way for visitations that usually didn't happen, living in a home that was making us ill and destroying our clothing (well issue), at the beginning of 2010 we always seemed to be sick, we we're driving 2 mini-vans to have room for all of us and our stuff, we were always on the road to somewhere....music lessons, gymnastics, sylvan, Austin had his tonsils removed, life just looked very blaa after a very dark and difficult 2009.....the list just seemed to continue of challenges we we were facing.
But around April 2010 things started turn. God was continuing to take us on a journey we didn't really understand at the time. One where He showed us He was faithful and we need to go through the blaa's of life to appreciate what he had planned. And so we could walk with others through their challenges. Every blessing we've received.....every good thing in our life is because of God. There is no other reason! It's not because of anything we've done or deserved....it's what God has done and taught us in this time.
So the second half of 2010 was dramatically different than 2009 or the beginning of 2010. The boys: we discovered that the learning issues we were facing weren't learning issues at all.....our last eye doctor had (somehow) missed that Issac is super farsighted and he has to have glasses to read. Thanks to our good friend and eye doctor Stephanie he now reads great (and reads everything!) Ethan learned to see the value in Math and Austin's attitude changed and his school work was done in record time! Praise the Lord!!! We finished our 2009/2010 school year with rave reviews and lots of learning. Our foster childrens bio parents voluntarily relinquished their parental rights opening the door for us to adopt them. In July the adoption was finalized and we are now their life long parents!!! Praise the Lord! We moved from the house that was making us sick into another wonderful home that we all love living in. Vans: We sold one and traded the other mini-van in for a 15 passenger van that fits not only us and our stuff but friends too! And with the economy the price on the van was dramatically lowered. With the van we were able to drive to Disneyland with another family. Allowing us time to make memories with all 5 kids together. And one of the biggest differences for the family as a whole and our quality of life has been that we have been very healthy!
Now this brief over view just scratches the surface of what has been going on in our family. It doesn't cover the heart, attitude and mind changes that have occurred. Those are far to deep and personal to share on a blog, but they are a big deal too!
2011 is a year we look forward to. Now, we know that there are some big challenges this year that need to be overcome. But we also know that God will continue to lead and work in our family to use these challenges for His glory and our training.
What about you? What about your families? Have you had a chance to review your last year? Was 2010 a year of challenges, triumphs or both?
I hope as you take time to look back you are encouraged by the fact that you are never alone in your struggles or joys. God is always there just waiting for you to turn to Him.
