Only 15 days remain in the year 2014. I remember this time last year, as 2014 loomed ahead, fresh and full of promise. I dubbed it the Year of the Baby. We had just finished getting all our paperwork in and were waiting to hear when we'd be officially on the wait list. I had high hopes and dreams for 2014 and it did not disappoint!
Obviously, adopting Aviannah was the highlight of the year, but there were many other good memories, both good and bad, that I don't want to forget from 2014:
- John kicked off the year by turning 31. He's not into birthdays (whatever) but we did sneak in a birthday date.
-went skiing with a group from our church at Table Mountain. It was wickedly cold, but we made the best of it. A friend and I also tried tubing, and were lucky to walk away with no serious injuries (most intense tubing hill EVER!)
-celebrated Cassidy's 3rd birthday with a small get together with family.
- went to visit baby sheep, pigs and chicks at a family friend's farm. Cassidy loved it.
- in May we got THE CALL, followed by the busiest week ever making travel arrangements, and then a 4 week trip in Las Vegas!
- enjoyed an extended summer as our summer was just beginning when we got home.
- got to introduce Aviannah to my Grandma Doerksen, who passed away shortly after she met her. Her funeral was the most God honoring service I have ever attended.
- I directed VBS at our church for the second time. It was busy, tiring and so much fun!
- spent my 27th birthday (August long) at the lake with my family. We had beautiful weather all weekend and the girls did so well!
- weekend trip to Caronport for the Vanstone family reunion.
- John and I went with a group from church to a Rider game in mid-August. We took a bus and had such a fun time (didn't hurt that the Rider's won!)
- Fall kicked off with piano lessons beginning up again and with Leesa moving in to our basement room!
- We attended two family weddings in the fall
- in mid-October I started babysitting Levi three days a week. I have really enjoyed having him and am already quite smitten with him!
- December has been surprisingly low key this year. Cassidy's church Christmas program was yesterday and we've been done our Christmas shopping for awhile now. We are enjoying this season and all that it brings.
That's all up till now. Even though there's only 15 days left in the year, they hold lots of excitement! In 3 days we "go" to court (via telephone) to finalize Aviannah's adoption, John's holidays begin next week and of course, there's Christmas gatherings and family time to look forward too! I can't wait!
I feel like I've grown so much this past year, in so many areas. My relationship with God is ever changing, day by day. It's hard to put into words the things He's been teaching me this past year. I think most of all, He's shown me just how much He can do when I hold out my hands before Him, let go of the things I love and want and just trust Him with it all. I still struggle with this, but it's a work in progress and it's amazing to see what He can do when we decide to let Him. Yesterday we went to an evening church service and sang the song "It Is Well." Even though I've sung the words to this song countless times, I was brought to tears at this verse:
"My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul!"
I can't say it any better then that. My only response is one of immense gratitude and praise to Jesus! Because anything I face in life, whether joy or sorrow, is possible when I remember what Jesus did on that cross for me. How can I do anything else but surrender my life to Him?
Looking ahead to 2015, I don't have any specific dreams or goals like with last year. I want to keep learning how to be a better wife, mother and most of all a better servant for the gospel of Jesus. I'm excited to see what God has in store for our family! 2015, bring it on!!
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