Goodbye 2013 ... Hello 2014

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It's officially been 2014 for 12 hours now, and as I sit down to write our year in review I'm reminded, yet again, at how blessed we've been this year & how much I've learned. God's taught me so much about patience, his enduring love, grace & his faithfulness.

Nothings in order, there were so many memories this year that our jar was overflowing. So here we go...

- end of March, beginning of April: getting settled into our new home & it finally feels like "home" 
- May 29th : dinner with the Wilkinsons, Rudolphs, & Morrie - swimming, tractors, lots of kids, late night 
- Theo's first steps across living room Nov. 20th (Mom & Dad were in Germany... walked for Nanny)
- April 5th : Family night at the park with McD's - slides, sunshine, walks, picnic 
- Baking the month of December and starting our own Christmas traditions - chocolate chip cookies, pretzel bark, frosting cookies, lots of music, oatmeal scotchies 

- May 5th : Parent/Teen night at our home 
- Milo's Eye Appt on May 24th - brought both boys & they both did great! 
- Parenting a 3 year old!! YIKES. more discipline for the parents & learning more about God's love and grace 
- Feb. 2nd : 5 weeks before leaving for NC, we have a HOME! Praise the Lord! 
-April 8th (week of) : Theo's first sickness :( -Ear infection, rash, cough and congestion (sad days) 
-Elder's Retreat, Sept. 17-21 : Big Blue House, Scooters, snowcones, lots of kids, fun days in sand, life lessons in parenting, afraid of water, sea shell searching, sand dunes, almost drowning 
- finding our routine & "normal" again after Theo's arrival Jan 2013 
- October 1st found out about baby blessing #4! Due June 10th 
-hearing Milo sing Christmas songs this year ... favorite is Holly Jolly Christmas & Rudolph 
- Feb. : Theo sleeping 6-8 hours straight. 
- Halloween : fireman & superman, trick-or-treating (short time), pizza at dad's work 
-January : adjusting to 2 kids :) 
- Potty Training Milo Man : started 3/27, finally went 3/29, pooped 3/30 - we are proud! 
- January-Feb. : Fundraising for internship & trusting God 
- June 2nd : Steaks, potatoes, and praise with the youth at our house 
- the prayers, support and meals brought to us the week of Theo's' surgery - so blessed!!
- Theo's first tooth July 21st, second one close behind 
- Dec. 14th : our ugly sweater party! - ugly cookies, photo booth, silly sweaters, Carolyn won! 
- Entering our new home for the first time March 10th, it's beautiful!! 
- Nov. 29th decorated for Christmas. Milo's excitement couldn't be contained, christmas music blaring, watched Rudolph after 
- July 4th cookout at our place with the Cody's 
- May 18th : Dani spent after with Wendy, baking and having good conversation 
- watching Tim as a father = priceless :) 
- Milo's 3rd bday : pancakes, gifts, overalls, balloons, streamers, fair & park, M&M's, good family time 
- Theo started crawling @ 7 months and is speedy 
- Valentine's Day date night at Sam's Joint - flowers and brownies 
- saying our goodbyes March 9th, 12th, and 14th 
- June : $500 donation at the time of big bills. God's provision! 
- Jan. 20th : Tim preached with John on Song of Songs 
- our 8 week appt. for baby : seeing ultrasound and hearing heartbeat @ 164, strong and healthy :) 
- God's provision with new washer and dryer July - Praise the Lord
- Grand Nanny's funeral March 23 (passed 3/18) : traveled 12+ hours by myself with the boys... went smoothly, extra time with family before coming back
- memorial day with family, visiting with small group at James & Ang's swimming party, yummy dinner at home 
- Feb. 25 : Titanic exhibit with mom (and Theo) - so cool! 
- Darby Farms May 25 
- Sept. : Germany fundraising for our trip in Nov. and lots of prayers and trust 
- love watching Tim and Milo play "rough" together ... with Theo joining in occasionally 
- Milo started "school" Aug. 19th and loves it 
- Sept. 3rd : Theo's surgery - patient waiter, fast procedure, fast recovery - lots of answered prayers 
- April 30th - Theo rolled over by himself 
- Having Grand Poppy, Poppy, & Nanny here for a long visit July-Aug. 
- our overnight move March 9th ... one kid slept, the other snoozed for a few hours at a time, great moving crew 
- Ringing in the new year (2013) with Bri, Charlie, Mom & Dad ... then sleeping in


- Nov-Dec. LOVE how independent and helpful Milo has become. helps bring groceries inside, walks next to the cart, and puts things in. such a big guy now. 
- Thanksgiving Day w/friends, Macy's Parade, good food, and football 
- Sept. 28th : Milo's bday party -LOTS of John Deere, tractors, cake & ice cream, great friends, lots of new toys - spoiled and loved! 
- 8/23-8/25 : Love Denver Weekend - busy, church under the tent, teen movie night, full work day on Saturday, dinner with jesse & addie x2, set up and tear down. 
- the Christmas season @ home with just our family : making new traditions, enjoying one another, loving christmas music, enjoying our decore 
- Having Arlene and Nicole here Sept. 12th for a long weekend : shopping, Downton Abbey Marathon, sweets, lots of laughs - guys were hiking the A.T. with the youth guys 
- July 7th : Waffles & Worship with teens 
- packing up our little home in MI with mixed emotions January & Feb. 
- Christmas Eve : skyping with Bonhomme Family, singing to Jesus, ham sandwiches, dip, chips, veggies, opening gifts with Poppy & Nanny, boys' new PJ gifts 
- searching for guidance & prayerfully considering our Germany missions trip in Nov. 
- at 8 months Theo can climb stairs and pull up on things to "cruise" 
- Jan. 21st : a perfect snowy day at home with the fam :) 
- small group church in home, Dec. 29th : pasta dinner, full house with kids, communion, bible study, and great time of fellowship 
- May 1st : Theo has first taste of cereal, wasn't sure of it (next day ate it much better!) 
- Theo's Birthday : pancakes, gifts, turkey dinner, cupcakes made with Theo ingredients, snuggles at bedtime, lots of family time, sunshine 
- Germany Trip : Nov. 17-25 - Kusel, dinner with Landolls, time with Rudolphs, crazy time at Globus, day trip on bus to Berlin (saw snow), night with Americans & American food, nights with Kristi and her place, youth event, Berlin wall and Jewish memorial, church at Crossway 
- Christmas Day : morning gifts, cinnamon rolls, sunshine, family time, Hobbit at naptime, lasagna at dinner, skype with Keith family, boys bathtime at night with glowsticks and bubbles 
- All God has provided for us : queen bed, crockpot, paid ER bill, $$ for Germany trip, support for our year here in NC & SO, SO much more!! so grateful! 

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