This year has had so many blessing. So many changes too. It almost feels like three different times in my life. And I'm thankful for all of them!
At the beginning of the year, I was still working. And thinking back on that, I really loved my job, the people that I worked with and worked for! I was there almost 9 years before leaving to stay at home with the baby. And I have such good friends there (present tense!) I am so grateful for the time that I worked there and those wonderful friends, people that mean so much to me still.
And I am really grateful for the new friends that I made this year at my church. I really wanted to get involved more, but sometimes hanging out with the ladies of the church (read: mostly moms) just hurt too bad. But at the beginning of the year, I just jumped into a Bible study - my great work schedule allowed for that - and I am so glad that I did. God really gave me the encouragement and peace to do that. And then I went on a beach trip with the ladies at church. It was a rough weekend at first, but the way God opened my heart and allowed me to meet and get to know so many people was amazing. I made such great friends on that trip!
This summer, I had prayed that I would meet more people at church, be able to be active and make new friends - and just days after that prayer, I volunteered (well I WAS volunteered) to lead in Vacation Bible School. I had done so many summers of VBS at my church growing up, but this was my first at our new church. I loved being involved. And I was amazed at the strength and joy that God gave me to be around so many children, before our little blessing came along... And working that week at church really got me into the children's ministry and introduced me to many people that work regularly with the kids. Which was a wonderful blessing for what happened just a few weeks later.
A week after doing VBS at church, we went on our amazing trip to the southwest. I've never been out that direction and the Grand Canyon was one of the "last frontiers" of our country that I want to see (at least in the lower 48). And it was amazing. I love seeing the beauty of natural wonders of God's creation. It really was even more amazing than I ever could have imagined.
And the amazing continued in June, when only 2 days after we had been home from our summer vacation, that we found out that we were getting our little girl - in FOUR days. We had so much joy, anticipation, questions, wonder and amazement - that it was happening right now!!! That our lives were going to change forever, so quickly. But really that we had been waiting so long for this moment. The days and years of our longing to become parents, for me to be a mother, were finally over. The day was HERE! What an amazing blessing and joy to bring our wonderful baby girl home. I am so thankful every day for how God moved in our adoption, in our hearts, in our lives! We want to enjoy every minute!
This Christmas was, of course, baby's first Christmas. The Christmas seasons in the past have been joyous, but tinted with a sadness and a longing . But we have our little one to share it with now. Daniel said that this was the best Christmas ever. I do agree. And I praise God for the blessings big and small that He has given to us this year.
"Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19
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