I think it’s pretty safe to say 2011 has been one of the best years of my life. I can’t believe it’s almost over!!  It’s amazing to look back and remember what life was like just one year ago and how much has changed since then.

Last year, at the beginning of 2011 we were in mourning. We had just been told that our 7-month-old baby boy we had fostered since day 1 would not be able to become our son.  The state was going to be doing open recruitment to choose a family for him, but because of some policies that had just been changed, we would not be eligible to apply to be his family.  He knew no one but us, and hadn’t seen his birth parents since leaving the hospital at 2 days old. We were his parents.  We were being told a big fat NO.

BUT…..

Praise the Lord we have a rockin’ case worker and our boy has an amazing lawyer who stood up and shouted that this was not right.  They fought for our boy and for our family.  Now, at the beginning of 2012 we are simply waiting on some final paperwork to be processed and he will be ours.  He will officially and legally be our son.  Oh, how I long for that day.  They tell us it will be soon!!!  God truly moved mountains to give us our son.  (Soon we can show pictures of him too! He’s quite the cutie)  🙂

At the beginning of 2011, we were halfway into our first year as a homeschooling family.  We were questioning if we were doing the right thing, we were insecure, we were struggling with math.  🙂  Now, at the beginning of 2012, we are comfy in our homeschooling shoes.  That’s definitely not to say I think we’ve got it figured out or that I’m an old pro now, but I can say we know we are doing the right thing for our family and we are thankful for that security.  Our days are full- full of diapers, interruptions, spilled milk (really!), meltdowns, overflowing laundry baskets, and potty-training disasters.

BUT…

They are also full of giggles and snuggles on the couch with the latest read-aloud we just can’t put down.  They are full of math breakthroughs, library books, ballet in the living room, and sweet Bible times with our single candle lit on the kitchen table.  I wouldn’t trade it for the world.  I thank God for the blessing it has been to our family.

At the beginning of 2011, I was a passive observer in my life with Christ.  I had become cynical and bored with my faith.  Oh, I have never stopped loving Jesus.  He and I had some sweet moments together, but they were few and far between- and I know the fault in that lies completely with me.  I had given up on dreams and passions that He had given me and created me for.  I was faithful in my actions, as far as serving the Body, yet my heart was far away.

BUT…

My God pursued me with reckless abandon.  He chased me down and He would not let me go.  He spoke to me in a small whisper at first.  That whisper grabbed my attention.  I picture Jesus like one of my kids who is so stinkin’ excited to show me something new, something they have created.  “Come here!  Look over here!  Look what I’m doing!!!!”  Yep, once Jesus had my attention He took me by the hand and said “Look!  I’m doing a new thing, and guess what?  You get to be a part of it!!  Follow me.”  Jed and I never would have thought last year at this time we’d be trying to learn a new language in preparation for a trip to a country in Eastern Europe.  I never even really thought about that country and we had NO idea about all the precious lives lying in wait there.  There was a whole community of people fighting for those precious lives and we had no clue about any of it!

I’m telling you what, Jesus changed my life in 2011 and I will never ever be the same.  My Jed has been amazing through it all.  He led our family and sought the Lord when I was uninterested.  He prayed for me and he loved me and I can never thank him enough for leading our family so faithfully.  Now God is calling Jed and I and our family to a great adventure.  Something big is about to happen.  YEEEEEEEHAW!!!!!

In 2011 God gave us our son.  He gave us vision.  He renewed our passion.  He changed our lives.  He set us on a course and we can’t wait to see where it leads.