Long December

As 2009 is coming to a close (well it was when I started this blog hehe), I can't help but think back on this year and all that it held for Steven and I. It was a year filled with events that were new, exciting, challenging, saddening, and life changing. Here's our year, as it was, in a quick summary.

In January, I got the opportunity to travel to Kenya, Africa alongside my hubby. It was my first trip and Steven's third. He had always wanted us to make the trip together and January provided the perfect opportunity. Along with five others from Westwood, we worked for 10 days in Nairobi and Navaisha, Kenya. We visited a local orphanage that Westwood supports and has supported for many years, an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) Camp, and in a local church. I find myself longing to go back many times. This trip will forever hold a special place in my heart and I do look forward to the day when we can return and see all that God has continued to do since we were last there. Here's just a couple of my favorite pics from the trip.

The view from where we stayed was INCREDIBLE!!! You could see for miles. I felt like I was looking at where the Lion King was filmed hehe it was gorgeous!!!

February & March were pretty calm for us. Honestly it was a waiting game for me because we were planning on trying again to get pregnant and I had to wait until the Malaria pills were out of my system before getting pregnant. We celebrated my sweet grandmother's 88th birthday with a surprise party. She had been battling cancer and it was just what she needed to lift her spirits! She's a St. Patrick's day baby so it's always a fun celebration!

Here's the girls in our green garb :)

At the end of April we began our second pregnancy. I feel so blessed and full of joy and anticipation as we wait for the arrival of our sweet baby girl- any DAY now!!!

In May we celebrated our 3 year anniversary and in the same week lost that same sweet grandmother pictured above to cancer. I had prayed for a long time that my Memaw would be here when I had my first child, but sometimes God has different plans and I had to accept that. She had already made me a baby blanket and every time she tried to give it to me while she was sick, I just told her to hang on to it so she could give it to me at one of my showers one day. So when I received that blanket this Christmas with the handwritten note "Baby Quilt goes to Hailey- Memaw" I LOST it. She never knew I was pregnant and I wish she could know my little girl who shares her name, but I will forever cherish the memories I had with the sweetest Memaw that I ever knew!

Steven traveled to Ecuador with International World Changers for a second time in June. I stayed behind this time around, but made the trip to Youth Camp in July. It was another fun week with some of the best youth ever even though I had to tone it down a notch during all the sports activities due to my pregnancy! And you better believe my hubby was watching me like a hawk that week! hehe. I am very competitive and play hard so it was a bit of a challenge this year :)

In August, we found out we were having a GIRL! Wahoo! We had both wanted a girl, knowing all that really mattered is that he/she is healthy, but thrilled when we found out It's a Girl! We had fun telling my family. Steven's family is in Atlanta, St. Louis & Jacksonville and my brother in Phoenix so all they got was a phone call hehe, but we made telling my mom, dad, and sister really fun! I had already made It's a Girl & It's a Boy candy bags so all we had to do was get the balloons that announced the proper gender. After picking up the balloons we swung by my sister's school and I got them to call her down to the office. I was waiting for her with her balloon bouquet and candy bag. She was thrilled- she really wanted a girl too! :) We met my parents at Olive Garden and had the waitress hide the balloons. We first told them they couldn't tell the gender and really had them going, than waitress came out with the balloons and they were so surprised!

Here's some pics from our fun announcement day!

It was also in the same month and only about a week after finding out we were having a girl that we lost Steven's mom to a long battle of emphysema. We spent the week before in Atlanta with her as we knew her battle was coming to an end. It was hard watching her suffer, but just being with her in those final days and hours was time we will never forget. Steven's mom was a precious lady who loved her family very much. I made sure she knew how grateful I was for the son she raised and the man he turned out to be. I think her hard work ethic and care for her family was passed on to Steven and I really am grateful to her for that. It is comforting to know she is no longer suffering and her health is restored in full.

I LOVE Fall so September, October, & November are always enjoyable months! We started working on the nursery. I found my furniture and bedding at Children's Fair and immediately went to work- really after we found out what we were having :) Here's a pic of my bedding below, except our furniture is off white. They actually had my bedding on display with my crib so I got to see it all together before purchasing it! Pics of the nursery completed coming soon- I've been doing some more painting :)- really trying to keep myself busy!

And December:

I taught dance up until 8 month prego- wahoo! Talk about relieved when the Winter Recital was over! But I Love it and wouldn't have it any other way! We spent this month (after Recitals and all the various Christmas programs were over) relaxing and enjoying time together and with family and friends!

Here's me and my sweet girl Molly Bojangles- almost 9 months prego! Large and in charge :)

We can't wait for little sister Kate to get here! ANY DAY NOW!!!! Please come soon sweet girl!

As 2009 came to a close- I couldn't help but think about one of my favorite Counting Crow's classics- Long December. It seems like at every New Years party in high school that song was played and it really became one of my all time favorite songs. It just has a way of making you reflect back on the year- things that went wrong, things you want to change, and decisions good and bad that you made. This wasn't a bad year, just filled with some grief & loss, but also gain & promise of an exciting new adventure. I have a feeling that this year is going to be a great year and I can't wait to see all that unfolds! And the most important line from this classic:

"I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself

To hold on to these moments as they pass"