Digital Christmas Card

Hello friends,

In leiu of being organized enough to actually send this out via the postal service, I'm using my blog to update everyone about the blessings we have experienced this year. 2012 has certainly been a year to remember.

We had a rough start to the year as Joanna went on an all formula diet; it was a blessing in disguise. I was frantically trying to be a perfect mother and provide for her every need, but it was damaging to her health and my own. As soon as I allowed my pride to subside, we both lived much more happily. The remaining Winter months were mild and blurry. Infants tend to suck the brains of their parents.

In February, March, and May, we had 3 major blessings added to our families! Joanna gained three cousins: Nathan, Micah, and Daphne. All were born healthy and happy. Nathan and Micah are in Lynchburg so Joanna was able to see them when we lived there. Daphne is in Pennsylvania and we try to see her as often as possible. We attended three weddings this year: Rob and Megan, Derek and Michelle, and Connie and Sam. Unfortunately, we also attended two funerals: our friend Steve and my former co-worker Mike.

Jonathan coached an Indoor Winter Drumline for Liberty University. I helped with a vocal portion of their performance while Joanna acted as the unofficial mascot. It was the first year for the school to have their own indoor line and they placed 2nd - with only a tenth of a point separating them from the #1 spot. It was a huge accomplishment and we are so proud of them!

As winter melted into Spring, we learned we were pregnant with our second child. We were shocked and excited at the news. On June 29th, our unborn baby was taken directly into Heaven. As my grandma-in-law put it, his body wasn't healthy enough to thrive on Earth so God took him straight into His arms to blossom. We miss him terribly but we have hope that we'll meet him one day. You can read the full story here: Powerless. A week after losing our baby, we moved out of our downtown home into a quiet neighborhood. It was a nice change for our grieving family and newly-crawling almost-toddler.

In September, I ran the Color Run 5k in Washington D.C. and I can't wait to do it again! I was also able to get lasik eye surgery to repair my amazingly horrible eyesight. The surgery was a success and I am now lens-free! I have no regrets about the procedure and it was worth every penny.

In October we celebrated a year with our sweet baby girl. Our friends and family came from near and far to show their love of our Joanna Rose. It was such a special day! The following week, Jonathan interviewed for a job in Washington D.C. 2 hours later he received a job offer. We had 10 days to move our Lynchburg life into a storage unit in Warrenton and my parent's home in Manassas. And we did.

November came and went as we adapted to our new commuter lifestyle. We downsized to one car and I drive Jonathan to the train every morning so he can ride into work without dealing with traffic. Joanna and I spend each day with grandma and she couldn't be happier. Her stumbling steps have now evolved into wobbly running and leaping. Our cat quickly learned her place in the hierarchy of Grandma's house. When Joanna is asleep, Adelaide is the new grandbaby. When Joanna is awake, hide.

Here we are at December and we can't help but be thankful for everything. Even though parts of our year have sucked, God was always there. There are 3 more great people in our family and there are 3 more great people in Heaven.

We hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year that doesn't suck.