However, I don't want 2011 to pass me by before I recap some Dooley highlights (and lowlights) of 2010. So, now with both boys asleep, after just taking a (very) brisk walk to Starbucks, I have my decaf Caramel Macchiato in hand, and I'm ready to start fresh (only 2 weeks late) and post (without pictures), some of the memories from this past year that will be forever etched in our minds. So, without further adieu, 2010 in review...
January:: Brett saw Auburn play in the Outback bowl...I'm sure he would have much rather been at this year's game, but maybe next time! We had a sibling weekend visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Cary, NC...We loved staying in their beautiful new house along with my sister and brother-in-law. I would say we loved seeing their life there, but we didn't, because we were snowed in the entire time! It was Harrison's first snow and couldn't have been a more perfect weekend!
February:: We found out we were pregnant, but we lost the baby in the same month, the day before I started to miscarry, we filed our first police report...for our stolen Bugaboo stroller. Not a stellar month, but we DID have a fun mini-super bowl party!
March:: A visit from Nana, Braves Spring Training games (Harrison's 1st, and he and Mommy even got on the jumbotron!), Harrison's first Easter egg hunt, my sweet Grandma Dorothy Fierer passed away at 98 years old.
April:: We hosted Brett's parents for Easter! It was my first time hosting a holiday at our home and I made my first ham! We had a sweet time together!
May:: We had a wonderful week at the beach, half to ourselves, half with our best friends, the Baileys. We took Harrison to Disney World for the first time (and Animal Kingdom), we celebrated Harrison's 2nd birthday (and my dad surprised me by showing up for his birthday party).
June:: We went to a Family Life Marriage Conference in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area...loved it! Would highly recommend it! Another visit from Nana, Brett threw me a surprise early birthday party, I turned 30, we went to London for 2 weeks as a family to lead two teams ministering to Muslims there. It was a really sweet time for us!
July:: We returned from London, and I whisked myself off to Oxford, Mississippi for my annual "roommate reunion" with best friends from college Adele, Elizabeth, and Blair. We had a fabulous time, and thanks to monsoon-like rains, I got to spend an extra night in Memphis with other college BF and former China roommate, Bethany! We packed up our Orlando life, sold things, sold one of our cars, put our life in a POD, had lots of going away parties, cried lots of tears, packed our bags and went to Atlanta...
August:: Still more going away parties and many goodbyes to friends and families. More tears. 2 weeks there before we boarded a plane to our new locale....Excitement!
September:: Moved into our new apartment, celebrated our 6th anniversary, gave our child his 1st (out of like, 15, enemas), extremely difficult transition.
October:: Lots of traveling! Brett took a seminary class in a nearby city, KM. He also went to meetings in Xi'An. I travelled to the capital city for a mom's conference, and we travelled to a local mountain town for a team retreat with our team of 8 people. At the end of this month, we start to feel things turning a corner relationally, but still having a hard time at times. We celebrated Halloween and H went trick or treating for the first time! Found out we were PREGNANT....can't believe it!
November:: Had our first house guests, Brett's best Chinese friend (Tommy) from years ago came to stay with us for 2 nights. Also, we had 2 fun guys come and stay with us for a weekend full of parties for our staff. Thanksgiving was a very difficult morning, but we really enjoyed our afternoon!
December:: Went to Hong Kong on a visa trip and got soooo sick! Saw our baby's heartbeat for the first time (and I definitely have hilarious stories from my first 2 doctors appointments), lots of Christmas parties, a fun and sweet Christmas (our first completely by ourselves since we have been married).
I'm sure I missed a whole bunch of things, but those are a few that come to mind from our 2010. Brett and I are in the habit of naming our years, something we started back in 2007. We had named 2010 as the year of faith and trust. Well, I'm just not really sure I would have named it that if I had known all we would have to trust God for, but it sure was a year that we had to trust and have faith. It brings tears to my eyes to think of the things lost and gained in this year. But, like every year, there were so many wonderful times mixed along with the painful ones...This Fall has been so hard for us, transitioning to a place that we love under totally new circumstances, but I'm so glad we are here. It has been so great for our family.
And I have coined 2011 as the year of Growth. Not sure I'll like how this one ends either, but it seemed obvious as our family will literally grow...I am finally coming to grips with the fact that I'm pregnant (only 15 weeks in!) I'm thrilled, and I know it will be hard to add to our family and then continue living in a foreign country, but after waiting nearly a year and a half, I'm ready! I hope my heart will grow in other ways, and that I will grow as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I have no resolutions, but I do hope that this coming December I can look back and see obvious growth in myself and in my family (other than the obvious growth in my belly).
Happy (Late) New Year! Auld Lang Syne!
