Good-bye, 2010

It's strange to think that this year is ending. Sometimes I look at my life and can't believe it's mine. I still remember what it was like before Annalee was born: Nathan and I were still kids ourselves, in many ways, and unprepared (like every parent) for the changes about to occur. I still remember being so very single, with no Nathan, with no idea when or if I'd ever be married and have the family for which I yearned. And now I look around at my blessings--my house, my husband, my daughter, my pregnancy, Nathan's job, Nathan's degree--and think Is this really my life? Is it only a wonderful dream? Of course, not everything has been wonderful, but I knew it wouldn't be. Bad things happen to you in life whether you're married with children or not. But before I got married I understood that, and I wanted to have an eternal best friend. I reasoned, when you're married life can still stink sometimes, but at least you have someone going through it with you. I'm so grateful to have Nathan to slog through those rough times with me.

And now Nathan is graduated (still hard to believe) and we're on the brink of our next big adventure. This next year will see Nathan passing his boards, our 5th anniversary, a new addition to our family (and it's a BOY--what am I supposed to do with a boy?!), potty training, a difficult yet determined effort by Nathan and I to change how we handle money, a raise at Nathan's job--or even a new job!, and the departure of Steven as he graduates and moves out to find his first real computer job. (Good-bye, free babysitting! Good-bye, free computer tech support! Good-bye, fast internet! Hello, 1000 more square feet!)

And then there's the unknown, the certainty that nothing is certain, that plans change, that life happens.

We don't know for sure what 2011 holds for us, but we know that we can face it together with our faith in God's goodness and wisdom. Bring on the new year!