Say that with attitude….and you get how I’m feeling about leaving the year behind and starting all over! No, I’m not whiny and bitter! I’m just psyched to see the old year go….and the new one come. Starting over is always good, right? I think so!
Over the last year many things have happened. Some great and some not so great! Here’s a little recap! Feel free to click away anytime. I won’t blame you.
January–We had a ton of snow days this month. Uncle Dean flew in from Florida to visit and we ended up snowed in the entire week. It was crazy! On the 11th, Ally and Tyler Mote became a hot item. We spent a ton of time at basketball games and even caught a Pacer’s game in Indy!
February–Ally would venture out on her first date on Valentine’s Day. We’d spend some great Sundays with the people of Brushy Fork Baptist while Don interim preached. Gates would get a spray tan and perform with Una Voce. Gavin cheered on the Panthers even through the losses and competed in the German Club’s state conference (he earned some sweet ribbons). Ally would sing in the musical Buddy Holly Story and our friends the Gibbon’s would visit!
March–Turning 16 and getting a driver’s license would be Ally’s focus this month….and it went as planned! Gavin would lose his cellphone at IU’s Head to the Hall (thankfully a janitor found it and sent it home with a friend). Ally would find and order her prom dress from Macy’s. Gavin would wrap up his final year of cheerleading with a banquet, perform with Touch of Class and leave for New York City with the Jazz Band for Spring Break. Oh, and he would miss a day of school because of the flu (he NEVER misses school!!). Touch of Class tryouts (Ally made it) and final day preaching for Don at BFBC. Sweetboy’s cap-n-gown would arrive and reality would set in that time is ticking for him to graduate.
April–We’d start the month filling out bakoodles of scholarship papers (didn’t get one). But God had a better plan! Gavin would perform in his last Taste of Sweet Sounds concerts with the Jazz Band. Both Gavin and Ally would put on a great show in the Hello Dolly musical. Ally and Tyler would attend the Braves vs. Reds game in Cinci (where she would forever lose her cellphone) and Gates would sing and dance with her choir at JCMS. We did a lot of running around preparing for Prom, 8th grade dance and several shows.
May–THE PROM!! Gavin would attend Prom at JCHS and at South Decatur with Allison. Ally would go with Tyler to South’s and look just gorgeous! Gates celebrated leaving middle school behind with her friends at the 8th grade dance and partied the day away with her Una Voce group at King’s Island. Don and I would chaperone the senior trip with Gavin to Chicago. Don would spend 3 days in Baltimore on a business trip. Gavin would march one last time in the Indy 500 parade for All-state Band. Tyler would graduate from South Decatur High school and Gates would blow us away with her performance in Thoroughly Modern Milly. Don & I would become a part of a small group at FBC. It was a busy and exciting month.
June–Gavin would start us off with turning 19 and five days later…graduate high school #21 out of 340 classmates. Quite an accomplishment! He’d also get so sick that his graduation party had to be rescheduled for many days later. We’d start our summer off right by sleeping in and catching up on much needed down time. Family would come visit from Florida (we loved having them stay) and we’d have some fun out in our woods with several bonfires. Ally would also dedicate much of the month to participating in the Fair Queen contest.
July–We spent a fun night up town watching the fireworks. The rains came tumbling down in our community and caused them to be postponed. Gavin would become an official freshman at IU and experience a taste of what was to come with orientation. Don and I would attend the coolest concert in the park with his fellow employees….called Symphony at the Park. It was so cool! Ally and Tyler would fly to Florida to stay a week with Nana & Poppy (Tyler’s first flight out of Indiana). Gates would fly down and visit too later in the month. And, we’d dogsit! Braska came wagging his tail into our lives….and we all fell hard for him. Even though he runs like the wind!
August–Our annual Beach Waterpark trip was a near miss. Don woke up dead sick on our day to go. We would postpone it a bit and make a great day of fun even sneaking in some IKEA shopping! Love that place! We’d head back to school with my job changing drastically and we spent tons of time shopping for the many things Gavin would need for his dorm room. The 26th would come too soon. Leaving your first-born at college is one of the toughest things a parent has to do. But we all made it through. I would spend a girls night away with my bestie and we’d get some sweet refreshing from Priscilla Shirer (girlfriend can teach)! I was truly blessed!
September–Not only was it our 20 year anniversary month but our little girl would officially get her driver’s license. IU would host family weekend and we’d get to visit our boy. Gates would participate in an outing with JCYL. I would finally get to set up my classroom at school for Math Remediation. Gates would get contacts and Gavin would get a bike to help traveling around campus a bit easier.
October–A big birthday month. Both Don and I would turn 43. Ally would get glasses. My blog would be the featured blog on Lynnette Kraft’s site (cool). Both girls would participate in the Mystery Drama at Vernon Historical Society’s Halloween weekend. They would also crack us up with their show at the high school drama and they travelled to IU for a language field trip soccer game. Gates and CJ become an item and lots of Colts action rocked our month! Much of our time is now spent on the girls now that Gavin is away at college.
November–Gavin has terrible tooth problems. He ends up at the oral surgeon’s for a root canal! Thankful for dental insurance. Gates celebrates turning 15 and I want to cry. She’s still my baby! Ally has a big month of practices and finally the big show for Touch of Class. She’s great! We enjoy our Thanksgiving time together as a family and our old friend Stephany visits. It was a fun month.
December–Spent the month wondering about Christmas and if there’d be one. Finances are still pretty tight for our family. Mostly looked forward to time off from school and time with family. Everyone crammed and worked to finish up the school semester and finals. Grades seemed to sneak up! Don and I would attend a great dinner party with his company for Christmas. And our small group would grow another couple.
Life was filled with ups and downs. Money was tight. Kids were busy and we were just trying to make it. Our family exerienced many firsts this past year. But through everything we were blessed to have each other. We watched from the sidelines as friends lost loved ones and hurt along with them. A very real reminder of cherishing every single moment with the ones you love. This next year…..we hope to accomplish so much. The most important of which is growing closer and stronger in Christ. The love He has for us is neverending and pure. I hope to pass that along in 2010.
How about you? Are you ready to move on? Good. Don’t look back! Just move forward and blaze a new trail! That’s what I plan to do!