An Ode to 2010

Well. This will be quite a bit of randomness. That’s alright.

First. Wow, what a fun Christmas we had! It was our first year to do Christmas eve/day with just our family. We started some new traditions including soup in bread bowls (one of these years those bread bowls will be from scratch), a spontaneous Christmas day brunch with our neighbors, picking out an animal to give from World Vision (I love how their philosophy teaches people to fish), and letting Caden pick out toys and HBA supplies for the Wichita Children’s Home. Oh my word we had such fun buying for them! And he waltzed up to the guy at the Home on Christmas Eve day and handed his bags over with such pride. I was proud too.

I’m thinking God has the Children’s Home in our family’s future. They serve kids 0-22 who need a place for a few days to a few months while waiting on court situations, foster care, etc. They also have a program for teen moms, a street outreach to runaways, and a BRIDGES program to the older ones who need to know how to live on their own and have some tough love. We fell in love there. It’s one of the ministries our church partners with locally and our neighbor spent a few weeks there when she was a teen, so we feel like we have a connection. Wonder what He has for us…we’re ready and willing to find out in the coming year.

That was long.

Anyway, He continually, continually, proves how we cannot out-give Him. We’ve been trying to be almost reckless in our financial giving and we can’t keep up with how He always keeps taking care of and blessing us. And when we’re tempted to dial it down a bit when things look tight financially in our limited view, He always provides when we trust Him.

Christmas night we drove around town as a family and were melancholy. Just all the build-up of the day being over and, frankly, we were bored! (I think we’re all extroverts.) So it cracked us up when our sermon the next day was on disappointment and how it is such a gift when it causes us to reevaluate our expectations. I’ve had my expectations reevaluated a lot the last month or so, and it has been hard to be excited about some things. But He is so faithful. My mother-in-law spoke some Truth to my heart when we went to their place the day after Christmas. She has developed such an open hand with her kids and kids-in-law, wanting us wherever He has us doing what He calls us to. Anyway, I teared up at the divine appointment our conversation was.

All that to say, I’m ending 2010 with some peace and chosen contentment I have been needing. Along with some excitement about our family’s purpose in 2011.

I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions (though as a fitness instructor I like them in how my classes explode for 5 weeks or so!), but I do have some practical goals I’d like to make a habit the first few months of 2011. One is ridiculous but needed: I want to wash my face and stinking brush my teeth every night. This is do-able! Plus, my cousin got us one of those fancy electric toothbrushes, so I’m more motivated than ever. My teeth feel so polished lately!

My last topic is how much I love my family. 2010 was a great year for us. We added our sweet, laid-back cuddler Caleb. And I can’t imagine life without him. What a gift.

I’ve been in awe at my man this year too. We’re at a good place with boundaries and are more sensitive to each other’s weak spots lately. And the scandalous amount of time he spends wrestling, playing guys with and reading to Caden is such a reflection on his character and devotion as a daddy. Daddy has always been his hero, but he’s been ratcheted up several notches this year. He definitely has helped take the sting off having that baby come and wreck his world. He even seems to enjoy his baby brother most of the time. I couldn’t be more smitten with my (very-imperfect-but-my) 3 boys.

This man-o-mine has also navigated our family through some decisions, some issues in our neighborhood, choices about schooling for us and our boy, housing decisions, financial faithfulness goals, a new grade level to teach, and our transition to a family of 4 this year. Yep, he’s our leader and I wouldn’t trade places with him. He makes the hard calls and I’m glad he knows to Whom he answers.

Happy New Year, all! Cheers to 2011.