A Look Back at 2013.

According to Facebook, my top posts of the year were:

1. THANK THE LORD. Our appraisal on our house passed AND the money was disbursed for the amazing couple that is purchasing our home which meanssssssssssss.... we are closing in THREE WEEKS!!!!! I know, we are nuts! It's going to be super busy between now and May. Photo sessions... preparing for Quinn... Easter... packing... finding a place to live.. moving... hospital stay once I have Quinn... Please just pray that we find a place that is PERFECT for our family, that is affordable.. and that all goes smoothly the next few weeks. We appreciate it.. and we definitely appreciate all of the prayers thus far. I am just sooo excited for this new chapter in our lives and I am really excited for the couple that is buying our home. Our realtor said they are SO excited which makes me even more excited.

Looking Back: We ended up closing on our house the day I turned 37 Weeks pregnant. We had the house entirely packed and ready to move. We found a gorgeous 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment to rent and moved in on April 17th, 2013. We unpacked and were ready to go before Quinn arrived on May 2nd, 2013. 

2. I gave birth to the most perfect baby girl (in 2013 of course) at 3:50 this morning! She was 6lbs 12oz and 21" long. Quite a funny labor story I will share later, but she is absolutely amazing! I can't stop crying. Big sister was asleep when Quinn was born, so she will get to see her tomorrow I am so happy and I feel so blessed!! I have had my shower.. Now it's time for a nap!!! thanks for all of the prayers. We are so in love!!!

Looking Back: We were so blessed with the birth of Quinn. She has changed our lives in more ways than one. Her birth is one that I will never forget. She wasn't breathing when she was born due to her umbilical cord being around her neck two times, but thank You Jesus that she came when she did and we were blessed with a healthy girl! 

3. -- I can't remember a time my parents ever raised their voices at each other. I can't remember a time where my mom or dad disrespected each other in front of me. I can remember my dad being there when we got home from school with supper ready. I can remember my parents being at every school event for me. I can remember my parents being one of the first people to hold both of my girls. I can remember watching my parents play with Tayler. I can remember prayers at bed time, letters before going to school to take tests, and the building of a friendship as opposed to just a parental/child relationship. This is what I remember over the past 26 years. I know it hasn't always been easy for my parents, but I have to say they have shown me how to raise my children. They have been an incredible example of faithfulness.. and love. Happy 26th wedding anniversary Mom and Dad! Ethan, Tayler, Quinn, and myself love you guys so much!

Looking Back: My parents have been more than parents and grandparents to my family-- they have been friends. They have helped us when no one else would in certain situations. We are so blessed to have them active in our lives... and our girls are blessed even more to have such an amazing Papaw and Gigi!

4. You know, Ethan and I don't have a perfect relationship. We've had our fair share of obstacles in the 4 years we have been together. We had to learn about each other's habits quickly. We had to adjust to living with someone who was just as stubborn as we were. We've had arguments. We've had fights. We've had moments where we have said things we didn't mean. We've slammed doors. Taken breathers. The only difference between us and those who let these things destroy them is: We make a decision to choose each other every single morning. When I wake up, I choose him. I choose to let our love override any 'bad' thing that might come our way. I choose to remain faithful to him. I choose to do small things for him through out the day. I choose to uplift him. I choose to pray for him. I choose to trust him. I choose to be his best friend. We don't have it all together. We aren't rich. We don't have the biggest house. We sometimes barely make it. But we LOVE. We know no matter what, we will wake up in the morning and choose each other all over again... even if we went to bed on not always perfect terms. We know we will wake up and choose our family over anything else. We know we will strive to be a loving husband and wife.. because our children deserve it. I'm very thankful that I have a teammate. Someone that helps me.. he doesn't just go to work. He comes home and helps me with things around the house, with our kids, with my photography. I don't know where I would be without him. It hasn't always been an easy road getting to this point in life, but I'm thankful despite the troubles, it led me to this. I know I don't always says it enough, but I appreciate my husband more than he will ever know.    

Looking Back: I wrote a lot of mushy posts about Ethan in 2013. What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic and I'm in love. Some people say I put too much on Facebook.. I say too much.. but words are my outlet. That's the only way I know to explain how I am feeling. 

5. I know you all are probably sick of seeing videos of my child talking, but when you pray so hard for so long.. And you see progress and blessings, you have to share them with everyone! She is talking so much anymore and I couldn't be more grateful :) I've never heard her say any of the 'Yo Gabba Gabba' characters until today. And to that I say-- Lord You are so good!!!!! This is beautiful to hear!!!!

Looking Back: God has blessed us so much in 2013! We were so concerned at the beginning of the year because Tayler was not communicating very much... and then out of no where, she starts learning her letters, her numbers, songs, Yo Gabba Gabba characters... slowly, but surely she is learning to communicate with us verbally and I couldn't feel MORE blessed this year!!!

6. 3 years ago today, I said 'I do.' I was 23 years old. I had no idea what marriage meant. I had no idea the 'commitment' that would come from it. When we had our first argument after being married, I thought, 'Holy crap. I can't just break up with him. I can't just walk out that door and act like this never happened.' This is a promise. A vow. Before I got married, I always wondered how it worked. How can you pick one person out of the billion of people walking this planet and think, 'Yep, I am going to love you forever. Through thick and thin. Through life's changes. Through rock bottom and sky high.' How is that possible? Then I found Ethan. I saw how he could make me want to pull my hair out in the morning.. And I'd still find myself searching for him in a room full of people at night. I realized then that it is possible to love someone forever because I understood that loving someone isn't conditional to circumstances or behavior or looks. It's a connection. That feeling in your soul when you look at them and you feel safe... Alive.. Happy... And home. I'm thankful it only took me 23 years to find that. Happy Anniversary, Ethan. Thanks for finding me! I love you!!

Looking Back: A perfect ending to our year. Our 3 year wedding anniversary was on December 28, 2013. These are the only things I knew to say. We aren't perfect, but we are in love. I'm so thankful I married him 3 years ago!