Oh BOY!
WHAT. A. YEAR 2012 was!
Seriously, this year has been overflowing with moments…..good and not so good.
Both took our breath away.
Both left us speechless.
Many were Tahlia’s first moments. And, we got to experience the awe and wonder of these surreal moments in a new and fresh and beautiful perspective….through her eyes!
All moments revealed the hand of our Father in a more powerful and intimate way.
One thing is for sure. God carried us through each moment.
-Our first New Years as a family of 7!
– Great Wolf Lodge (our first family getaway)
– making it through Tahlia’s first surgery!! (repairing her cleft palate). One of the most difficult moments, that first night
-Our trip to Washington D.C. for the first time!
-Tahlia’s first bday at home. She turns 2!
-The first time Tahlia asked for daddy “not to go to work”……”DON’T GO DADDY!!!
HUGE MOMENT!!! HUGE.
-HERSHEY PARK!!!!
– SUMMER!!! : Pool days! (Watching Tahlia learn to swim and LOVE the pool!)
-saying goodbye to her beautiful cleft, the smile God gave her.
This was very hard to do. Very hard.
Here are more of her beautiful cleft smiles, they melt us so. We will never forget it.
-making it through Tahlia’s Lip repair surgery. SO GLAD THAT IS DONE!
– Tahlia’s first smile….(after lip repair surgery). A new beautiful.
– FOURTH of July! Tahlia’s first firework show, she loved it!
-WITNESS FESTIVAL!! The kids’ first Concert Festival, a Free Outdoor Christian concert! GIRLS GOT TO MEET BRITT NICOLE!!
-The founding of “Crafts for China’s Orphans by my daughters and niece.
– Going to the beach for the first time in over 2 years!! And Tahlia seeing the ocean for the first time…
-Enjoying the beach vacation with best friends and Nana and Pop-pop and cousins!
-Tahlia meeting Mom-mom Tita and Pop-pop Marty for the first time! (ANSWER TO PRAYER!). We prayed Mom-mom Tita would live long enough to meet her great grand-daughter!
-Saying Goodbye to Mom-mom Tita. The most beautiful 97 year old woman I’d ever known
Very Sad.
–Our first family portrait as a family of seven, a gift from my dear and very talented friend Nicole who owns her own photography business
and started the amazing ministry Red Thread Sessions.
SUCH A GIFT.
– Revealing the SURPRISE to the kids that we were going to DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Helaina breaking her arm…..(for the second summer in a row) 🙁 and God sending a smile and encouragement right to her garden through a little fuzzy adorable creature, a baby bunny.
Starting our 9th year of homeschooling! WHEW!!! has it really been that long!
– Isabella making the JV Volleyball team!!!!!
We were SO SO proud of her! She had an amazing season!
-Going to DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for the first time!!!!! WHAT. A. TRIP!!!!!!
– Brian’s job change, ugh….this has NOT Been easy! With the initial fears of being laid off, with the take-over of another company, the difficult transitions, and the unsurity of it all.
Relying on Christ.
This was a time of God truly providing….yet very hard to walk through.
– The Daddy Daughter Dance.
Lots of sweat and hard work with daddy putting this together, all to show his daughters how precious, special and wonderful he thinks they are!
-Christmas advent (the first time we’ve celebrated advent home with Tolly)
Finally, celebrating The birth of our Savior. Christmas 2012
We are so thankful. I have no other words besides THANKFULNESS to the Lord for His amazing gifts that He has given us this year, and the many ways He has shown Himself faithful and true to our family…. even in the very HARD moments.
so beautiful! loved it!
What a great way to cap off 2012! Your family is so beautiful. It is clear that the Lord has been keeping you close this year through the difficulties and with the bountiful blessings!
Wonderful recap. You are such a blessed family and your light just shines!