And that's a Wrap!

We are on the brink of a new Decade everyone, (!) and for people who like to reflect and ponder and dream,(LIKE ME!!!) this is like our SUPERBOWL! 😁😁😁😁😁
 I've been daydreaming and remembering; I've been pausing and journaling and planning.  I've been surveying my life-all the life-that took place for me/us this past decade, and I couldn't be more grateful for EVERYTHING; and I couldn't be more excited for what is to come in the decade of the 20s.
 My life is accelerating at an alarming rate. If each decade doubles in speed, than Evie will be graduating high school before I know it. 😳😳😳 (She's class of 2030!)

To quickly recap the last ten years, I'd say that my/our identity has changed dramatically.

We went from just the two of us  (2010).............>

To just the six of us (2019)!

I had several medical procedures, a house move, some incredible trips and adventures, made new friends and said good-bye to others.

Ireland!

Hawaii (x3!), once very pregnant with Evelyn

Italy! aka, "Babymoon"

Thailand

Amsterdam

We had babies,

various people living with us,
house projects
and job promotions.

projects like building cribs!....

Pregnancies! Lots of growing humans this decade....!

Our first child, Evelyn Grace. 

"Three babies for the price of one" pregnancy 

Many small people

And trouble. Lots and lots of trouble. But cute trouble.

Like anyone, we experienced so many good times, but also a lot of hard times.
 There was a lot of life in this last decade.

SO. MUCH. LIFE.

And it is in this life that John and I have really solidified and unified even more in our marriage.
This was a hectic decade.
There were a lot of transitions and seasons that pushed both of us to our emotional and spiritual and physical edge.

I believe in my heart that we are entering a sweet season of life; I picture it as a beautiful harvest of what we have sowed so far in our family. 

There was a lot of waiting in this decade: waiting to be pregnant; waiting for my pregnancy to be over; waiting for the babies to grow up; waiting to move into our new house; a lot of the time it was waiting for the day to be over!

In this decade I vow to do less waiting and more living. 
Because I can. 😁 
I finally feel emotionally able to do so.

 "crazy hair night" at Awanas!

Evelyn turned 8.
Yes.
EIGHT.
 I can't believe I have an eight year old; but then again I can because she  understands technology better than me and challenges me with deep theological discussions. 😳😳😳

She is intelligent, compassionate and full of opinions. She is finding where she belongs in this world, and during the next ten years she is going to go from a little girl of 8 to a woman of 18. 😩

The boys too are thinking, comprehending and deciding who they are.

For Christmas this year the kids received sleeping bags.
They also received fishing poles and suitcases.
Can you see a theme here?! Now we just need to find a summer camp! 😃

The kids were so excited about their travel gear. They decided they were all going to sleep in their new sleeping bags in the basement on Christmas night.
However, when night fell, sickness, fatigue and apprehension caused each of them to rethink the basement campout.
Caleb, however, refused to be deterred.  Frustrated with his siblings for backing out, Caleb decided to take on this experience by himself. He packed his little suitcase with clothes for the next day and found his camp site in the basement.

He was content and comfortable the entire night; he ascended from the basement the next morning with a big smile on his face. He was dressed in new clothes that he packed in his suitcase.

When he has his mind made up, he will proceed, regardless.
I am excited to see what this decade holds for him.

James was most delighted by his train tracks. He officially graduated from wooden Brio tracks to electric Gauge N, a professional type of track that takes great patience and precision to assemble.

I watched him as he connected the tracks and strategized solutions to obstacles and created new ideas.
I believe the next ten years he will continue to create, explore and discover.

And then there is Levi. This next decade will probably be spent on fields and courts, watching and cheering him on.

One of the favorite gifts were soccer nets. We set them up in the basement, and the boys have been using them constantly. Levi's domination on the soccer field is a bit intimidating, even in a basement.

For John and me, I believe we are entering a season together that is going to be our best one yet. We are celebrating 15 years of marriage, and truly this past year I have felt more love, appreciation and admiration for him.
John is a true leader in our family. He is respected at work, in our community and especially in our family.
I believe there are big things ahead-wonderful things ahead- and I really couldn't be more excited for 2020 and beyond.