2008 Recap

2008 has to have been the most life changing year that I have experienced. Here is a quick recap which will not be a surprise for most of you; seeing as you have walked with me through most of it.

• On Jan. 1, 2008 I got a boyfriend. The first one since my senior year of college.


• March my stepfather passed away


• May I moved back to Glencoe and in with my mother. (at the age of 30)


• June I started a new job


• July 4th I got engaged


• October 18th I got married


• October 25th I moved in with a boy


• December 22 we found out that we are having a baby

I really can't believe all of this happened in a year! I was thinking about it while I was driving to work today and just couldn't believe it. The Lord truely is showering me with blessings. It seems like I don't realize just how good He is until I look back. Summer of 2007 was my breaking point with singleness. My heart longed even ached to have a family. I had watched others lives and been part of their family but that just didn't satisfy my ache. Then out of nowhere my world was changed He answered all of my prayers ,even the ones that my heart was secretly praying, all in a year. So many times during big moments in my life I feel like an outsider looking in. I pray that with my marriage and pregnancy that I will dive in to the deep and experience it fully.

The Best Christmas Present Ever!!!

Daniel and I received an early Christmas present this year. We found out on December 22nd that we are pregnant. We will be adding a little one to our family on August 21st. I couldn't think of a better gift. I know it's early on in the pregnancy and I should probably wait to tell but I couldn't hold it in any longer. I have been suspecting that I might be for a couple of weeks and when I was a couple of days late we headed out to Wal-Mart to get a pregnancy test. I took two of them and they were both positive. I still needed confirmation so I went to the doctor and she told me I was definitely pregnant. We already have names picked out. I'll run them by you and see what you think. Of course I will do what I want but I welcome any comments.

If it's a girl right now we are thinking Sophie Banks Smith.
If it's a boy Grady Whitfield Smith and we will call him Whit. Grady is Daniel's Grandfather's name.

10 things I like about Christmas

10. My mother's Christmas Sweater- It harkens back to the time of stirrup pants and long sweaters. Long, Red, Cowel Necked, and Bedazzled. Need I say more.

9. The fact that the Mistletoe Madness parties have continued on without me in two locations.

8. Dirty Santa...it is dirty indeed with my family.

7. Christmas Tree shopping. I love the whole experience bundling up, searching for the perfect tree and tying it to the top of the Rav4.

6. Christmas Tree Decorating. This year we decorated with a nostalgic theme complete with the big lights and old coca cola bottles underneath the tree.

5. Christmas Lights. However, I do not like the icicle lights. 1999 was the year of the cicle lights as like to call them. They were everywhere and they are still lingering. I really like it when people leave them hanging from their house year round. Nice.

4. Christmas Songs...Thank you 96.9 and 96.5 for keeping me in the spirit 24/7.

3. Christmas Carols. One thing I truly miss about Red Mountain Church is singing the Christmas Carols all during Advent.

2. Friendly gatherings full of merriment.

1. Emmanuel-God Came Near!

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee,
O Israel.

O come,
Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call

O come, Desire of nations,
bind In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.


May our Hope be in Him this Season!