"I Simply Remember My Favorite Things"

Reflections of 2012

Over the next several years, I am sure I will use every line from this fabulous song, but today it seemed appropriate as I, like most, was looking back over the past year as I snuggled into bed last night at 9:45pm.  As Brian and I laid in bed listening to the many fireworks going on around us (they are legal here), we talked about our top 5 memories from 2012.  I thought about mine long and hard, and to my surprise couldn't come up with a favorite memory beyond, "Carly."  I enjoy spending time with family, yet the trips to Iowa this year with a newborn and a baby were a bit stressful, and I couldn't pick just one of the many visitors we had, so I decided that for this year, here are the things I will remember most:

1. Delivering Carly and those sweet 48 hours of holding her on my chest that followed
2. Snuggling/Sleeping with Carly in the mornings all year long
3. Nursing Carly
4. Playing with Carly and watching her develop each week
5. The evolution of my heart as we molded from a couple to a family

As I waved goodbye to my parents and siblings on Sunday, tears started streaming down my face and I cried the whole way home.  Each time I drop someone off at the airport, it reminds me that it will be at least a month before I see that person again.  It hurts my heart.  I don't like this arrangement of massive amounts of quality time all jam packed into a weekend or a week followed by a period with zero quality time.  I've never liked it, and I probably never will, but part of being content is finding the joy of making memories together for that short time.  A friend posted this quote the other day after hearing a sermon by Tom Nesbitt.  He said, "Contentment is not having what you want, but wanting what you have."  I thought that was a neat way to describe it and it hit home with me.  As long as Brian and I are living far from the people we love most, I will battle this concept of contentment.  It's been a struggle all year long, and I'm going to continue to work on finding joy here in Florida in 2013.

This year has been "the year of change" in my life, and tops 2010...a year I thought was unbeatable as far as change went.  2012 was a fabulous year, and probably the most important in terms of who I was, who I am and who I will become.  I am so looking forward to another year of joys, as my baby becomes a toddler and I get to communicate with and experience the world through her eyes.  Hopefully this year I am challenged to become more patient, gentle, and loving and seek to know Christ deeper. 

Alright, enough about that.  I have more to write about as this post covers 4 different topics: Reflections of 2012, Trey's Birthday Celebration, The Vanderploeg/Hood Family Visit (which I've been meaning to post for weeks) & Little Carly Tidbits.

Trey's Birthday Celebration

I have already touched on most of the visit from my family, but we ended up having a really nice time celebrating Trey, so I thought I'd include some photos from his birthday.  I mentioned us having lunch at Sanaa, and it was absolutely delicious!  Most of us got a platter of rice, shrimp and chicken, all in different sauces.  I got a Durban spicy sauce and green curry sauce...which was my favorite.  Tiff got a butter sauce that ended  up being the best of any dish, and my mom had a fabulous salad on naan bread.  We had an array of animals gallivanting outside our window and for the first time, Carly showed a real interest in the animals.  I think we will start taking her to Animal Kingdom more now that she notices them!  There was a big bird that kept coming up to her highchair right next to the window and flirting with her.  She, of course, flirted right back!

 
We also celebrated him by taking him to Disney Quest, a 5-floor interactive video game theme park, mini golfing, eating at Planet Hollywood, seeing Les Miserables (Brian and I were working for that, though),  ice cream at Ghiradelli and renting some movies to watch at home.  I think he was well celebrated! Trey is headed to Colorado next year to attend Denver Seminary, so we won't get to see him when we come to Iowa.  That will be SO hard!  He's a great brother and a fantastic uncle...he was giving me some advice this week and I stopped him and said, "Trey your maturity makes me want to throw up!"  It was meant as a total compliment as he is the most mature 22 year old I have ever met!  I just couldn't believe my "little" brother was giving me such sound advice.  He is going to make a fabulous counselor!

The Vanderploeg/Hood Visit

My Uncle Tim, Aunt Sherry (Dad's sister) and my cousin Shayla, along with 4 of her 5 kids (JT, Emmie, Zola & Piper) came for a visit a few weeks ago.  Joshua had just taken off on a month long trip to Nigeria to bring home their daughter, Devine, who they have been pursuing for over 2 years now.  So they decided they needed to take their minds off missing their Dad and came to the "happiest place on Earth."  We really enjoyed our time together; spending time with them at Animal Kingdom and at Hollywood Studios.  Our favorite part was the Osborne Lights.  Carly proved to us her intelligence by blurting out her first word: JT!  We couldn't believe it, but I have a video to prove it.  He felt pretty good that she could point and say his name on command. :)

I also want to ask for prayer for the Hood family as Joshua is still in Nigeria and has had some hiccups working with their government in getting Devine the proper documentation to get her a passport.  Our family is pleading with God for their safety and for this adoption to be finalized so they can transition into becoming a cohesive family all finally living under one roof.  God has called Joshua and Shayla to quite the challenge, and they will need many prayers as they head into the next few years. :)

Little Carly Tidbits

As you all know, babies change at such a rapid pace, it's nearly impossible to document it all, but here are a couple of things I've noticed over the past few weeks:

• Carly is a quick learner.  She has grasped new concepts quickly and can learn a new game after only a few tries.  One example of this was her ability to learn who each member of my family was and find them in a room when asked where they were.  My Dad also worked with her a few times to touch his chest when he said, "Where's Grandpa."  By the end of the week she could point to him without much focus and the first time when prompted.

• Carly continues to show strong preferences toward or against an array of things or situations.  One example is her preference toward one page in each of her books.  I thought this was so interesting that I actually decided to lay out all her favorite books and photograph the page she turns to and focuses on when we are reading.  She flips the pages until she finds her favorite one and then wont turn the page again!  If I turn it to continue on, she will just turn it back.  Pretty silly.  

 

• Carly is very fast when it comes to cruising and she has learned that if she takes her hands off of the ottoman and stands up without holding on that we will clap.  She therefore does this frequently, but has figured out that she can cheat and lean on the ottoman with her elbows while still clapping.
• She is an excellent kisser!  That is one of my favorite things about her and I think I've mentioned it before, but its so sweet to get a kiss from her.  She will give them without hesitation anytime during the day if asked, but expects to give us both a kiss goodnight. :)

December was a fabulous month, complete with a trip to Iowa, a visit from cousins, Christmas with my family, a nice uneventful New Years Eve and all the holiday festivities that come with the fun month of December!

Happy New Year 2013!