Happy New Year

Here we are... two hours till the start of a new year. Looking back, this year has been filled with so much change. We started the year out with Matthew receiving his Autism diagnosis in January. A few days later that same month, Gabe turned one year old. Mike and I celebrated six years of marriage in March. Then, in May, we sold our house after having it on the market for six years. We packed everything up and moved to Enterprise. In August, Gabe was also diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum. Matthew turned four years old in September and started preschool in October. In late October, Mike suffered a heart attack at work. In November, we FINALLY completed our Deciding Together adoption classes, and in December we signed papers to begin the process of building our "dream home" on the land we bought back when we got married. There was so much else involved in all of this...planning and scheduling, researching and praying, phone calls and paperwork, testing and lab work, therapies and vitamins.
It has been a trying year... one of literal blood, sweat and tears, but God has brought us through it all. We have suffered losses. We took financial losses to be able to sell our house and move. We have mourned the loss of loved ones who have passed away. We have found out who our friends are and who they are not. Some of the ones you think will never let you down or betray you, will in fact do so. We have learned that blood doesn't make a family. Some of the people that will impact your life and support you the most will share no DNA with you. We are thankful for the people that God has placed in our lives, both family and friends. We believe that He works all things together for our good and that there are no such things as coincidences. Every thing that happens does so for a reason, and each person in our lives is here because God knows we will need them to impact our life in some significant way to keep His plan moving forward. Every detail shapes us on our journey to be what He desires us to be and to fulfill the plans that He has for us.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
New International Version (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

We know that God is with us. He has brought us so far in the past year, strengthening us in our marriage and as parents. He has taught us alot about love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
New International Version (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

We can love because God first loved us. We are thankful for His perfect love that shows us how to love others. We are thankful for those that bless us with their love and for those that God gave us to love.
With many memories made and lessons learned, we are saying 'goodbye' to 2013 and 'hello' to 2014. We don't know what the future holds, but we do not fear tomorrow because we know that God is already there.