12 months...

Well, we are in the midst of getting ready for the big NUMBER ONE! A birthday party for the baby girl. Hard to believe it has been a year already. Most of it is still so fresh in our minds. We've been talking and thinking a lot lately about where we were and what we were doing this time last year.

It was the start of a very hectic year.

The past 12 months have looked like this: Lost rental home in Utah due to owners not paying mortgage, homeless and pregnant, frantically finding a house, moving, Hospital, Baby, Sending Nicholas to WV for 2 months, NICU, 10th Anniversary we didn't celebrate, Baby Home, Blood Clot, 3 doctor visits a week, Sick Mommy, ruptured appendix, surgery, hospital stay, months of infection, continued twice weekly doctor visits, bleeding complications, another surgery, being responsible for a new baby daughter, sick wife and 8-year old, finding of a job, preparing to move, driving the kids across country, staying with my folks, taking care of my Mom after her surgery, living in one room for 2 months, Jamie in a crummy hotel, Christmas, New Year's, still no home, driving back to Utah, packing the house in 2 days, loading the truck, driving to Indiana, moving in, ice storms, busted truck, rushing around buying a car, Jamie's promotion (yeah!), Jamie working all the time (not yeah), planning birthday party....to now.

And in the mean time, raising a baby again after 9 years. And all the other normal things that happen in a family. Illness, stress, money, homeschool etc.

I think we've held up fairly well for what we've had going on. Certainly it's been worse for other people. It has, however, been a stressful and often wonderful year. Outweighing the bad, by far, is the good. Watching Sarah grow. Watching our family change and seeing how she completed us. Nicholas growing up. Planning vacations. Basically enjoying our life. I can only hope that the next 12 months are just a little more calm.

And with that, I'm tired. I need to go pack for the trek to WV. Trying to throw a party in another state is not easy. Thankfully, I have lots of help. I'm just going with the flow at this point.

Have a great long weekend everyone!