2010 started out great. I got to marry my perfect man. Then it quickly went to hell – with death, grief, leaving a job, a church, finding a new job, dealing with family things – and the hell didn’t end until a couple of days before New Years when we found out Will did not, in fact, have bone cancer. We grew a lot that year, especially as a couple and a family, and the Lord brought us through a lot. But I sure was ready for 2011.
2011 was great.
We watched our first house being built. We moved in and felt oh-so-grown-up as homeowners.
We marked the first anniversary of B’s death. As a family we celebrated what the Lord had delivered us through, where He was taking us and how He had used a great man to impact our lives.
We found out we were having a baby! After just a few tries, we were watching a movie one night (Green Zone – Matt Damon) and I paused it to go potty, took a test and came back all squeeky and smiley. It was a wonderful night.
We had a complication-free pregnancy. I felt crummy all the first trimester but never actually threw up, only missed 3 days of work the whole pregnancy and, on the whole, had a really easy go of it. (note: do not confuse this to mean I am one of those women who bubbly states, “I love being pregnant.” – But I have been blessed throughout this pregnancy and it could have been so much worse.)
We got to host Christmas at our new house. It was so nice having both families together for the holiday. Shout-out to my mom and mother-in-law for all the help. – And Jeff, he did more than anyone!
Jeff and I enjoyed lots of time together, including a fun little vaca in Galveston and the adventure of getting out house ready and getting ready for our baby together. We had a great year counting our blessings and looking forward to our future.
And while it wasn’t all roses and hummingbirds, it was a great year.
We struggled with finding community. A struggle that still persists. Loving a church so far away creates some logistical headaches. We had a small group that didn’t work out and have been trying ever since to find a new one but with both of our work schedules, Jeff’s school schedule and our comitment to spend each week with family, it’s been hard. We are anxiously waiting for the Lord to answer that prayer in 2012.
I continued to grieve the loss of my brother-n-law. But as a friend told me, the first year grief walks all over you. The second it walks beside and the third it walks behind. As grief walked beside me this year it was far easier to recognize it and work through it.
I worked a job that I didn’t love, but that was the Lord’s provision for our family at that time. It was difficult to go from a career that I loved and knew the Lord had blessed to one that was a paycheck. But still, I was enabled to do it well and I’m thankful for the many lessons I learned.
We have been thanking God for 2011 and praying his blessings for this year to come.
Posted by Lindsey @ A New Life on January 4, 2012 at 4:33 pm
We miss you. A strange mix of sorrow at the grief & heartache you’ve had to walk through and joy at all the blessings in your life. You’ll be such a wonderful mom, and so very thankful that your husband has loved you well