HAPPY 2010!!
As I start to write an update of 2009, I think of all the trauma’s and challenges we’ve faced this year and think…”wow, what a difficult year we’ve had”… yet, what a blessed and glorious year as well. It’s hard to be down on ‘09 when we have been so blessed.
When times are good,
be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as
well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his
future… Ecclesiastes 7:14
Considering we had both of our girls visit Dornbecker Hospital at OHSU, Vienna for surgery and Ziva for a very scary virus incident, lost a baby, had bad news about family health, friends deaths, changes and challenges with income and ministry it would be easy to say that 2009 has been the most burdensome year for Sam and I since we married. Certainly, if we focused on all those things, we would look back at 2009 and say “what a horrible year.” But I can’t bring myself to do that. Sure, I wish we never would have gone through the struggles we did, oh that life were easy all the time, but even amidst those challenges we consider ourselves blessed!
Sam remains the best husband in the whole world, and the love of my life!
He’s done a fabulous job of working hard at siteCoffee and building PixelCliff, I’m so proud of him! He’s been getting more involved with the men’s ministry at our church by joining David’s Men and the Men’s Ministry Team. It’s been great for him to feel like he’s starting back in ministry again, but it’s a far cry from being in ministry full tim for him or being in leadership… but one step at a time! Vienna’s doctor asked for EKG’s from all of our family and when Sam had his done they confirmed that he indeed still has the hole in his heart that he was born with. We’re still in process for followign through with testing with a specialist with him, but it’s not something that we are terribly concerned with at this time. But apparently he hasn’t fully filled it with Jesus yet (LOL ha ha ha… bad joke, but I just had to!)
Our girls are growing up so fast and are getting so smart and are the greatest joy in our lives! We’ve had some special times livign with my parents and sharing our girls with them, what a blessing to see them get close to them.
Vienna started her year with follow ups for her surgery to correct her bladder reflux issue. I’m happy to report she’s had not ONE Urinary Tract Infection since the surgery! On the 5th we’ll return to Dornbeckers for her next follow up exam which I believe if all is well will be her last! Wahoo! Her cardiologist did explain about her prolonged QT interval and we will have another appointment in March to check in on that situation, but over all it seems that watching what medications she takes is all we hav to worry about there… She’s such a precousious three and a half year o
ld! She’s already started to recognize words and sound out letters. She’s not completely interested in learning to read, so getting her to do it is a challenge, but she can sit down and sound out words and recognizes words like Pool and Cake! 
LOL Every day she amazes me with what she knows and with her love for people. A favorite memory this year was at her first time seeing the Nutcracker. She was sooo concerned for the Mouse King who “got hurt and his friends dragged him off to the hospital” that throughout the rest of the performance she kept asking me “Is the Mouse King feeling better yet??”. Then, durring the arabian dance, the dancers came out with girls in belly shirts and the man shirtless.. my little gem stood right up, pointed accusingly at the stage, stomped her foot and shouted “INAPPROPRIATE!” THAT’S MY GIRL!!!! I was so proud (thankfully it was a performance for homeschool childern so it wasn’t so mortifying having her
shout out in the middle of everything!) She’s currently learning to ride her scooter and sings all the day long. So fun. She also got to ride on a float in the 4th of July parade. oohh that was sooo exciting and great fun for her…. it was sooo hot that day! Ziva and I enjoyed watching for her
Ziva, wow, she’s learned to run from one end of the house to the other, she’s quick. Turn your back for a moment and she’s climbed onto the counter and started cooking for you, or has gathered up all the coasters in the house and is distributing them into every room. She’s cutting the last of her teeth (I’ll be sooo glad when that’s over) and my little mountain goat is starting to try to climb out of her crib (she’s already mastered the Pack and Play! There’s no containing her) She has a giggle to melt any heart and the best smile ever. She had so many firsts including her first Ambulance ride and stay at Dornbecker Children’s Hospital. Another first was that she and I were flown to Colorado to see my good friend Jen. We had a blast and Ziva flew VERY well and stole EVERY attendant’s heart!!
Thankfully it was nothing more than a virus that was attacking her bone marrow (the dr’s did do some testing to rule out Leukimia, which was scary). She’s finally starting to actually talk (she doesn’t need to most of the time, with 4 adults in the house to cater to her, and her sister who…well, doesn’t leave much quiet space). It’s so fun. She said her first “sentance” the other day at the dinner table when I was trying to get her to take a bite “NO WAY!” ahh… just like her sister taught her! ***rolling my eyes*** But she never misses a chance to raise her hands for “Hallelujah!” after our prayer’s “Amen!”
As for me… well, we its basically been just a normal year for me busy with raising the girls, cooking and cleaning and all that jazz. We may not live in abundance, but the Lord surely has provided for us all year. Through all the medical issues for the kids, and me and the heart scan for Sam, we’ve not had to go into debt for any of it. That was such a great blessing but everyone being healthy now is the greatest blessing of all!
For me it was the year of Purple! I finally did it! I went in and went from very blond highights to purple highlights! Yes, I know many of you will think I’m crazy, and I am, but I’ve enjoyed feeling like your resident Anime charactor! LOL It was a bit much at first, there was a lot more purple than I had imagined, but in the end it toned down and was fun… next time maybe a little more normal with red
I did start to be a part of our churches Radiant girls ministry which has been fun… we had a big dessert night for the girls in December which I had a blast helping decorate for. The biggest change for me this year was that I started a new hobby. Cake making! It’s been great fun and I’m thinking that Esther needs to move home from Ukraine and open a bakery with me She’s been enjoying making and decorating cakes too. Hummm… I meant to upload a picture of one of my cakes, but it doesn’t seem I did (and I can’t add any more this month cause I added too many already) but they are all on my Facebook account if anyone wants to check them out
What do I hope for in 2010??
I’m hoping to get a little better this next year at “scheduling” and meeting up with other moms and other kids for the girls to play with.. which would be much easier if we lived farther north as well. I’ve not done much scrapping or crafting at all this year, and I’m hoping that in 2010 I can work some more of it in for myself! There are other things, but as long as we remain mostly healthy and happy that’s good enough for me.
Have a wonderful year everyone!
(Family, I just uploaded 35 pics from the last few months under Winter 09 that you’ll wanna check out… if you have problems finding them on this website email me and I’ll make Sam fix it!)
.
