My Reasons

My Reasons

This Is Where It All Begins

This Is Where It All Begins

Saturday, January 2, 2010

New Year's Eve

These posts are a little out of order, but I got pictures on this one, so I will get this one done while I can. Christmas and other things are still in the making. Stay tuned....

New Year's Eve was awesome. My parents reserved 3 bowling lanes for 19 of us that would be coming. Along with the bowling, they had games, prizes, and food for us. We were with a really fun and lively group of people and it was hilarious!
We were there from 9:00-11:0pm and Mary and Sam were happy the whole time. They LOVED bowling. They had little kid shoes that fit both kids, and they gave them a kid ball. Sam would sit by the place where the balls come out and hand everyone their ball. When it was his turn he would sprint up there, bowl and sprint back while cheering for himself. It was so cute. He went full speed ahead the entire two hours.
Mary got a strike and put both arms in the air and squealed. The first thing she wanted to do was call Ben and tell him. She was so excited.



Yoda joined us in the bowling.


What is wrong with this picture?
You can count this as my 18 week picture I guess.


Sam loved watching the balls come out.


My brother Tyler and his awesome and hilarious wife, Jessica.


My brother Devin and his girlfriend/soon to be missionary Nichole.


Mary and my dad "Bop"




After bowling, we got home with 10 minutes to go until midnight. Mary zonked on the couch, but Sam was still going strong. The boys hurried outside to get the tree and the crates ready for the burning. Then we all headed out and we each took our places with our Roman Candles. Sam was wide eyed the whole time. We did the countdown and shot the Roman Candles at the tree, that was covered in gas, time and time again. As the tree erupted into flames and the fireworks blasted into the air over the neighbors house, we shouted Happy New Year and did a little happy dance. It was great! Oh, it was so great.
I took pictures, but none of them turned out. The flame was just too big I guess. Darn. The night ended around 2:00am. Good times.

Being here surrounded by family, friends, warmth and peace, I have had a lot of time to reflect on the past year and to look ahead to the new year. I have spent a lot of time forming my two simple resolutions.

2009 was pretty rough on our family, but we also had so many incredible experiences. We made a lot of great memories and had a lot of times of laughter and cheer in our home. The good times were mixed in with the bad, but the lessons we are walking out of 2009 with are priceless. I wouldn't trade much of anything from the past year. We were very very blessed with wonderful friends (who made being away from family in times of illness and heartache much more bearable and who made the good times even better), a good job, a great ward, a wonderful town, and the arms of our Saviour wrapping around us time and time again. My faith and patience were pushed to the limit, but I am stronger now. We all are. We are walking out on top.

I am looking forward to this next year, and I am excited for it. I can't wait to finally get my precious baby into my arms where it belongs. I am excited for Ben to graduate with his MBA and to see what may lie ahead for him. I am excited for Mary to begin Kindergarten. I am excited to watch Sam grow and mature even more and begin preschool. I am excited for more memories to be made, more laughter to fill our home, more friends to share in the goodness, and more experiences to make us who we are and who God wants us to become.

Welcome 2010!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for the post babe. That was awesome.

Mama Bear said...

I am so happy to hear you having fun.