The Year 2012 At A Glance

For the sake of a reasonably full Blog Printing... and in light of the fact that this year was a little nutty and didn't leave much time for prioritizing a blog... Here are some pictures to wrap up the year and glance back over 2012!

Happy New Year!

 

I remember this belly... Doesn't feel like it was only a year ago. 

I love Aaron in this hat because he looks like a little "Neil Caffrey" 

Unbelievable but I didn't even post about Aaron's 2nd Birthday Party last year. 

Papa Steve's first time holding Evan 

            

When they were born they looked identical! 

We spend a lot of those first few weeks in the backyard. 

I love this picture of Evan in Joey's hands at St. Andrews during a Generational Eucharist Service. 

Titi Shelle was such a big part of Evan's life from the day he was born. She reminded me to swaddle him... something I stupidly thought he didn't like ;0) 

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Summer 2012 Aaron could jump in off the diving board at Karon's home and swim out to a person or even to the ladder. He's a fish! He LOVES to swim. 

Aaron had to do a sleep study. Joey brought him because I needed to stay home with Evan. 

We also finished out our last year of co-leading the Myer-Jones Small Group at First Assembly this year. 

And got to take a trip to Orlando with our Season Pass to Sea World where Aaron could "Sea that World" as he called it. 

An end of an Era. This is one of the last times the four of us would be together. Now Danielle lives in another state and has a new baby boy, Tucker. 

The best vacation ever was our beach trip to St. Augustine with the Marquis family. We can't wait to go back! 

We managed to fit in a Myer vacation to Jacksonville where we explored the zoo. Later in the year Lion Country Safari and Palm Beach Gardens were also on the itinerary. 

Aaron had to have his tonsils and adenoids removed in August. He was a trooper and came away from it all LOVING the hospital where you get popsicles. 

Some of the Myer-Jones Small Group kids by the end of the year. 

After Aaron healed from his surgery, Evan contracted Salmonella which alerted us to his critically low iron. He spent a few nights in the hospital (we tried to leave and go to Carlos' graduation but ended up back in the ER and then re-admitted). I had to stop breastfeeding and he was put on EleCare fomula. 

Such a good eater- this boy LOVED his first taste of spinach! 

Aaron is a good big brother. I am so proud and impressed with him. 

Potty training=Tattoos just like Tio. 

No one believes me but there is NO PRODUCT in this kids hair! It was awesome! 

                                                                      

October brought Baby Brielle into the Leightman home. It was an honor to watch Rachel bring her into the world. What a blessing she is! 

     

This year for Christmas Aaron really understood the concept of a birthday. So we celebrated the birth of our savior the way all 2-year-olds require: with cake. It was a beautiful Christmas. 

I'm Back. 1-23-13

In so many ways I've been gone.

I have forgotten about so many of the things that I love.

Like how I love writing and how words can be played with and especially rhymed. I love sitting with a child on a rug and stacking blocks or doing whatever activity they think is utterly amazing. And now having my own children to do this with how many afternoons have I missed out on? I love the beach and how the sand is a free pedicure and the sun warms your heart and the waves lick your toes (sounds kind of gross but that's what it's like to me... and besides, I'm a dog person).

I have tried so hard and for so long to become what and who and how I thought I was supposed to be. The Christian that I thought the Lord would want me to be. Surely He could never really love me the way I was. Messed up. Lowly.

I thought that I believed that the Lord loved me. But clearly I didn't really understand how He could. I still don't fully. But I have a better idea today than I ever had before. And I hope to have a better idea next year than I do today. Grace is amazing. Life is amazing. Today is amazing.

When I started blogging I tried to write the way I like to write. But I was afraid. I was afraid of judgement and of looking foolish or like I was "trying to hard" or of whatever people were going to say or think. Something I thought of and worried about often: what people would say or think.

I have a beautiful family.

I LOVE my little family.

When did my kids start to play together? When did Evan start to follow Aaron around and begin what is sure to be a long journey of wanting to be with, and like, and accepted by, his big brother.

When did my husband get so handsome? When did he start sacrificing so much of what he enjoys to be a good man in this current season of our life together?

We need a beach trip. We need to see some of the beautiful created ocean that is only an hour or so away. Evan needs to play in the sand and Aaron too. And Joey needs to skim. And I just want to watch and smell and be a part of it all. We need a beach trip.