2011

Eventhough I did not exactly start this blog at the turn of the new year, I figure it's still close enough to take the time to look back.  What a year.  It seriously felt like it flew by.  I usually get super annoyed when people make cliche statements like that one right there, but I feel like it was actually true.  So much happened in 2011.

I feel like 2011 was the year for being busy.  Everyone I knew had insane schedules.  Which made it far less fun for me to whine and complain because everyone I wanted to whine and complain to had just as many balls in the air as I did.  And most of them had more than just the one kid.  Ugh! 

For my family, it was certainly a year of transition.  I lost both of my grandfathers, gained a nephew and had a cousin get engaged.  I have thought so much about the way everything played out with my dad's dad getting sick and passing and then my mom's dad getting sick and I am just forever in awe of how God works.  His love for us is so overwhelming sometimes.  And if you don't stop and reflect sometimes, you can miss seeing His grace in it and miss out on those opportunities to go deeper into your relationship with Him. 

My Pawpaws (dad's dad) became ill at the beginning of the year and it was a very fast decline.  Within a matter of weeks, he went on to be the Lord.  He was such a man of faith.  He studied the Word.  Studied like I have never seen anyone.  He had such a servant's heart for his brothers and sisters in Christ. For years, at his church he was the yard man/landscaper there.  The day of his funeral, I wasn't sure how many people would come.  My grandpa had been widowed for many years and other than his church friends and some people he would meet at Whataburger and eat breakfast with, I just wasn't sure of his social situation.  That morning the funeral home was packed with friends and family of his and of ours.  People coming to show love and support.  But what struck me the most was that his church SHOWED UP!  They came up to us and shared stories of how wonderful he was to all of them in the church and how much they were going to miss their brother.  It was such a beautiful thing.  After the service we went back to mom and dad's and people came to show their respects.  After everyone left, we decided to go as a family and eat at Mamacitas and try to lift our spirits.  My mom's entire family went and we had the best time.  I took this picture of Kayley and my Peempie that night and it will probably forever be one of my favorite pictures.               

Within weeks of this picture, Peempie was be hospitalized for severe kidney failure and the end looked extremely near.  He said that he had lived a full life, he wasn't going to live on dialysis that made him feel terrible and that he was not scared to die.  He had talked with God and if it was time, he was ready.  Peempie was the true patriarch of the family.  I'm not sure that there was anything that he ever did that we didn't think was the most amazing thing on Earth.  The thought of losing him was really more than I believe any of us could deal with.
He opted out of dialysis, hospice was called and he was given a maximum of 6 weeks to live.  He went on to live for 9 more months.  He got stronger, he began to walk again, could go back to church, come to mom and dad's for functions and come out to Amanda and Scott's house to meet Henry for the first time. 

How amazing is our God!!  Peepmie went on to be with the Lord a month after this picture.  Focus quickly turned to Gammie (my grandmother.)  She and Peempie were married for over 60 years and this was more of a loss for her than any of us could wrap our minds around.  I started thinking back and reflecting on what she had gone through with him.  The times that only she was there in the final days, taking care of him.  Being there for his every need and desiring to be nowhere else.  I would call to see if I could come by and there were times that she just needed that time with him by herself.  She would share with me after he passed that those moments were so special and that God showed them a love that they could share that they never knew.  She called it extravagant love. 

I spent a lot of time talking with God about how everything played out.  Thanking Him for the 9 months that He gave us.  He knows us better than we could ever know ourselves and He granted us 9 months to prepare our hearts to lose Peempie to this world.  What a gracious Father.  I also was curious why?  Why the way it happened?  Why the hospice?  At times the hospice seemed so hard and it was almost too hard to even be at their house.  But God always has a plan and He was at work the whole time. 
My grandfather was the one that took care of things.  My grandmother is incredibly independent but my grandfather at the end of the day, watched over her.  In the last few months of his life, he became dependent on Gammie.  And the more dependent he became, the more strength the Lord gave her.  She shared with me one night, just she and I while Peempie was asleep in his recliner, too weak to even stay awake, that the Lord had showed her that she was a lot tougher and stronger than she knew.  She could handle things.  She was going to be ok.  I know that my grandfather needed to see that.  He could go knowing that she was capable of doing things on her own and that even if it was his time, she would be ok here without him. 
I think I fell in love with God even more that day.  His love knows no boundaries and when everything seems to be caving in, He reminds us that He never leaves us.  Even in his final days, God was thinking of my Peempie. 
So I go into 2012 excited.  God always brings us out of things stronger than when we walked in. 

And He has blessed us with so much to be excited about!
We get to watch this little guy grow up! 

I can't wait.  It's my first on my side of the family.  At first I wasn't sure about Amanda having a boy.  They aren't as much fun to buy for.  Scott won't let me put headbands with rhinestone flowers on them on his head.  (He's such a stiff. ;) )  But now that he is here, he's perfect.  I wish she would have a thousand more so Jarrod would leave me alone.  Kayley is like having 5 children.  So I've had my litter.

2011 also brought a great year for business.  It's so amazing to work for people that put God first.  When times get tough, we stay steady because of the foundation that we stand on.  We were blessed with amazing business in 2011.  We were able to add to our team and the team that we have now is so incredible.  I'm sure I will talk about them often.  I think its so rare to find people that you want to be around as much as we are around each other.  Plus THANK THE LORD they all have an amazing sense of humor.  That's without a doubt a prerequisite to work in my office so I am soooooo thankful that we all find the same things funny.  And they are complete weirdos too.  So I feel very at home. 

2011 brought Pinterest into my life.  WHAT IN THE WORLD!!!  This site is OOOOOOOmazing.  I haven't had time in months now to really get on and pin like crazy but it is my GO TO for parties and decorating.  So genius! 

2011 brought some of the most hilarious skits on SNL that I have ever seen.  Kristen Wiig is a comedic genius and I shutter at the thought that she will one day have to leave that show, as they all do.    If you do not watch SNL.....well that might be good because some of it's terrible.  So I will not endorse the show but I will however say that HULU breaks it down by clips and some of the skits are golden!  GOLDEN!!!!!!!!!!

2012 is going to be awesome.  It's an election year so please remember Jarrod's blood pressure in your prayers.  Although I have to give him credit.  We watch the Iowa Caucuses the other night and his neck never turned red.  So he just might make it through this season!

My prayer for all of you is that 2012 is your best year yet.  It will not be without trials and hardships but turn to the One that can do something about it and surround yourself with people that lift you up, hold you accountable and make you laugh.  Life is wayyyyy too short to be too serious!