2009: A year in review

Our 2009 was a great year. There were many fun times of meeting friends for dinner, going to the movies, and playing board games- and the one awesome game of Canasta when Brad and I creamed Forrest and Mary. We enjoyed a picnic at the park over the summer and dinner on the Plaza just last month. I have made several new friendships and I've reconnected with old friends on Facebook. We took a couple trips down to Springfield to visit old friends and we traveled up to Trenton and Richmond to visit grandparents and families. But more important that all of the actual things we have gotten to do, we've been blessed to have been able to spend so much time together as a family and with our closest friends.

• We took a nice vacation to Sacramento/San Francisco, California

Derek and Jackson at the Golden Gate Bridge

• I went with my sisters to a Britney concert in April.
  

Ashley, Laura and me

We all enjoyed the concert

• We became an Aunt and Uncle on third wedding anniversary.

Holding Gabe when he was only a few days old

• We became homeowners and undertook the the challenge to flip it into an updated, livable home for our family.

The house in disarray -

after replacing the foundation, new windows were installed

• At church, Derek began playing guitar in the worship band and I began singing with the ladies ensemble.

Derek practicing with the band before the service

• We attended a Royals game, a pre-season Chiefs game, and I attended every show at Starlight theater this summer (Legally Blonde was my favorite, by far!)
  

On the way into the game with Forrest and Linda

Derek with the guys on the field before the game.

• With our Sunday School class, we participated in several service projects

We bagged and boxed over 300 pounds
of cereal at Harvester's!

We raised money and walked to support a friend in the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk for a Cure.

• We watched Jackson grow from a teeny baby just learning how to smile to a very busy toddler smiling and laughing all throughout the day.

Jackson at three months old-
January 28th, 2009

Jackson at DeAnna Rose Farmstead
10 months old

• I enjoyed a few 'firsts' last year- eating KC BBQ, planning a baby birthday party, and parking in my very own garage parking space!

Jackson enjoying some of Arthur Bryant's BBQ

We stand now, looking ahead to what 2010 will bring us and we are a little overwhelmed with some of the big things the Lord has placed on our hearts to do. But, I stand here today to say that when we make it through this year and we reflect on what has taken place I will know that it was the Lord carrying us through because there is no way we could do it on our own. We are so excited for this coming year and I pray that we will live each day to its fullest and to know our true blessings.

A Joyful Christmas

I am always amazed at how quickly the holidays come and go. We were a little late getting in the Christmas spirit in our house because things were still so hectic from moving and finishing up our place. We didn't put up the tree on the day after Thanksgiving, and the lights didn't get put on the tree until the actual week of Christmas!

Jackson-- The Reindeer

This Christmas we had a the opportunity to learn that our holiday enjoyment is not dependent on the traditions we have, the gifts we buy, or the people we get to see. Several things were different for us this year and at first it was really hard to have a festive attitude about the season. First, we had a late start in decorating and then we decided that we wouldn't put ornaments on the tree this year to avoid fighting Jackson to keep them on the tree. We decided not to buy gifts for each other and we tried to think of things we could do or make instead of buying gifts for family. For the presents we did buy, I ended up getting online, which was very convenient and I got some great deals, but it doesn't have the same thrill of going to the store to shop. Then, the snow ruined the plans that we had for family to come visit on Christmas Eve and it was very disheartening!

Jackson and cousin Gabe- Christmas Day

We had a lesson to learn from Charlie Brown- Christmas isn't about having the nicest tree in town and it isn't about checking off your holiday checklist of traditions. We had such a great holiday and we were able to find great blessings in the simplicity. The idea to organize my mom's pictures was to save money, but it turned out to be such a neat experience to go through and find pictures I'd never seen of my parents in elementary school through college and to remember some of the things I did as a child. Similarly, we were scanning some of Linda's old pictures so she could have digital copies, but again we had fun looking at the pictures as we scanned. Derek got up early on Christmas morning to cook me breakfast and we enjoyed some nice time together before Jackson woke up and it was such a wonderful thought. And even though most of Jackson's presents were hand-me-down toys, it was so much fun seeing him open the presents and be excited about wrapping paper tubes instead of his toys!! And even though it was disappointing that my extended family couldn't come down on Christmas Eve, it was SO nice to tackle some of those things on my to-do list that had just been ignored for awhile. And instead, we had an impromptu celebration with friends and family watching Die Hard while it blizzarded outside. We had a fantastic time celebrating Christmas day with both of our families, playing games and enjoying the company of others.

Our family- Christmas 2009

It's no surprise to me that our most blessed Christmas was the one that might seem to be the crummiest. I pray that even in abundance our family will still appreciate the little things find joy in the simple blessings of Christmas. My grandma has had this quote from in her house for as long as I can ever remember and it has taken me 25 years to truly understand: Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be- Abraham Lincoln.

Jackson and Grandpa reading the Christmas Story-
one of my favorite memories from this year


Jackson with his new toy cell phone

A Thankful Heart

I love Thanksgiving for the positive aspect of the holiday. Everyone has lots to be thankful for, especially me and my family. I try to have a thankful heart all year round, though I am not always successful when I get caught up all in myself. Here are some of the things I am thankful for this year.

--Family--

I am thankful for my family. My immediate family- Derek and Jackson make me very happy, who love and support me. My Dad who has worked, worked, and worked on my house and who still answers the phone, even when it's the sixth time I've called on one day. My mom who also answers multiple phone calls daily and who also offers to watch Jackson just because. My in-laws who let us live with them and for the time when I was having a tough week, I came home from Minnesota to house that was all clean and ready to move in because they wanted to make it feel home-y. And for the fact that all of my family gets along so well with each other. We are SO blessed in that.

--Friends--

Our friends have been truly wonderful to us this year. Hundreds of hours of labor on our house for exchange for a meal here and there. Often times, I hardly had time to even ask for help because they had already offered and/or used the key to work when we weren't even here. We have the type of friends that when we ask for an inch, they give us a mile- every time. Not only with our house... but just in support, encouragement, and friendship have we been blessed.

--Church--
We love our church. Despite being a member for just about three years, I feel that I have been a part of this family for a lifetime. The foundation, the people, the encouragement. I have enjoyed the Tea for Three activities and getting to know more and more ladies in our church. Our Sunday School class is a blessing and I am so proud of them. Wednesday evenings are my favorite- I love the ladies ministry!

--Country--
With several friends and acquaintances deployed at this time, I cannot say enough how thankful that I am for our country. I am thankful for the Constitution that we fight to uphold. I am thankful for a President and for the democracy our county has that allows citizens to make a choice.

--School--
I am so thankful to be in school- for the opportunity and for the support from the people around me. I love studying psychology. I am thankful for the gifts of understanding people and am so eager to be a counselor. And this semester I am particularly thankful for that my professor agrees that I have a talent.

--Job--
I love my job. Nothing is greater than to be able to stay home with Jackson and I love having David around. Everything is happy in their world and it is such a blessing to be loved by children- with hugs, and smiles, and giggles. I enjoy watching Jackson grow and move on to bigger and better things each day- to actually get to read him books, while he squeals at the animals on the pages. It is so exciting to hear David count the Ten Friendly Frogs, even if it's the fifth time in one day and nothing is more entertaining than to hear him lecture the cat when she isn't nice ("Mia, it is not nice to hit. Do you understand me? Now you say, 'Yes, Ma'am'.").

Jackson and his toys

We got some video clips of Jackson playing earlier this week. He is really starting to play with toys a lot- pushing the buttons, dancing to the music, and tackling a giant Pooh Bear. But regardless of what he is playing with, he always pauses to make sure we are watching!

Jackson and his airplane



Jackson and his penguin



Jackson and his piggy bank

Jackson's 1st Birthday

The last week of October marked Jackson's birthday week and much celebrating took place. Despite the fact that it's now the middle of November, I am still a little bit in denial that my baby has become a toddler and that he is officially one year old.

Jackson's first birthday picture

Jackson's birthday party was on the Saturday the 24th and was in our new house in the basement, even though the upstairs was still a major construction area. It was kind of a last minute plan because when we first starting thinking about his party, we had no idea what shape our house would be in. We swept up the basement, put down a rug, and brought our little playground inside and I think it went nicely. Mom and I (but mostly Mom) made food and it was yummy! We had sandwiches, fruit, spinach dip, chips, some veggies, and of course- a cake! My friend Tammy has a special talent for making cakes and she did a FABULOUS job.

The cake- half chocolate, half fun-fetti- Delicious!

Jackson eats his cake

Just a little big messy!

Jackson had several friends come to the party and he had fun and of course grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles joined the party too! Linda and Forrest got him a kid broom to appease his desire to carry the big broom around the entire house. Grandpa Duff got Jackson this little big that dances, sings, and squeals and needless to say all of the kids love it. Jackson got several other gifts and he plays with them all, though his favorite thing is get to play with the 'big kids'!

Yum- a basketball!

Jackson and I went up to Kearney on his actual birthday and went to Chick-fil-a for lunch with Grandpa. They have a playplace that is more suited for the toddler and Jackson always enjoys climbing and going down the slide. The manager at the restaurant gave Jackson a balloon and Jackson carried that thing around as if his life depended on it-- up the stairs, through the tunnel, down the slide, even when he fell asleep in the car. Both Jackson and Grandpa had a good time.

Jackson and Grandpa

He sure loved that balloon!

Since Jackson's birthday was on a Wednesday, we planned to have a mini celebration after church with cookies and edible markers. The kids all decorated some cookies and Jackson just squealed in delight of having the 'big kids' around once again. Not only is Jackson loved and adored by all of our family friends, he also have a fan club from kids ranging from age 2 up to the 7th graders at church- especially our Sunday school students. In fact, we are having a Sunday School party tomorrow and the 4-5th graders have insisted on Jackson being present.

Decorating cookies

Happy Baby!

These boys love each other-

Grant and Jackson

And can't forget to mention that Jackson was just so excited about his birthday, that he was up several times in the night. We were awake from 3:30-5:00 all because Jackson wanted a banana and it took us that long to figure out what he wanted. We are so blessed to have Jackson in our lives and also for our friends and family who love him so much! And here is a video I made for Jackson's birthday. It is kind of long, but it's really cool. And for more birthday pictures CLICK HERE.