2012 {Year in Review}

Monday, December 31, 2012

**January
We stay the night at a water park/hotel with my family
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have a visit with Grayden’s birth dad at the Children’s Museum
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Sadler starts walking {8.5 months}
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I hosted my first ‘favorite things’ party
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Sadler’s first hair cut
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**February
sickness invades our family (me-hospitalized for UTI and sepsis, Grayden-flu, Sadler-respiratory)
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Sadler gets his first stitches
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Leap Year; Brenham’s 4th birthday
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**March
spend a few days in Indy for a truck show
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boys get lots of use of the new backyard
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Robb and I go on a 5 night cruise to Belize and Cozumel (first time leaving the boys long term)
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Spend a night at a water park/hotel in Shipshewana with Grandma and Grandpa L.
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**April
Swing set goes up
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Sadler turns 1!
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Grayden spends a day working with dad on ‘take your son to work day’
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**May
we spend a rainy day at the Bethany Christian Services  Micro-Olympics
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tulip time fun
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Grayden turns 3!
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we spend lots of time outside playing and doing lots of fun stuff on the Summer List, click here to read more about that
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We take the little wrecker in the Memorial Day parade
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Sadler has emergency surgery to repair an inguinal hernia
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**June
We go the farmers market almost weekly
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Spend a couple days in Indy for a sisters weekend
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do lots of garage sale-ing
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Grayden starts his second year of swimming lessons
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Grayden does 4 weeks of soccer camp
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spend a couple days in Chicago for training for Robb’s job
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Spend 4th of July weekend at the cottage and watch fireworks
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we go to stroller fitness class almost every week
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Robb wins Hamilton tennis tournament
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first family DAY trip the beach
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spend lots of Sunday nights at different parks with our friends all Summer long
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first visit to Sandy Pines
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**August
I water ski for the first time in 6+? years
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Grayden’s first dentist appointment
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family trip to the zoo
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Peyton Grace, my niece, is born
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Robb goes to Nascar race, sits in the pits
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Hudsonville Fair fun
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Robb and I go to a Tiger’s game
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We visit with Grayden’s birth dad at the park
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**September
We spend Labor Day weekend in Shipshewana with the extended Rietman side
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Grayden’s first day of school
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I do 27 acts of kindness on my 27th birthday, to read more about that click here
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Robb spends a few days in Utah for training
Sadler gets his second set of stitches
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With the help of healthy eating and regular exercise, I reach my goal to lose 20 pounds
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Circus
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4 year check up at Mayo Clinic
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Swallow study for Sadler, learn we need to thicken his liquids
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**October
Breakfast on the farm
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celebrate 7 years of marriage
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take train to Chicago and Shedd’s aquarium
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**November
My Grandpa R. passed away
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Meet Todd and Angie Smith at Embrace the Hope event
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Grandparent’s day at school
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Purchased a mini van
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**December
Go on a cruise to the Bahamas with my sisters
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Grayden sings in his first Christmas program at church
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I finish reading through the Bible in a year!
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Thank you, Lord for blessing us so richly in 2012.
I thank you for keeping our family safe, I praise you that Sadler’s surgery went well, and his stitches have healed up and thank you for sparing him from worse injuries ;)  Thank you for our health, and for restoring our bodies when we’ve been sick. I praise you for my kidney, and that it continues to function normally.  I thank you for being with us during the ups and down, from the birth of a niece to the passing of a grandpa. Thank you for our jobs and for providing all that we need and more. Thank you for the awesome opportunities we’ve had to travel and see the beauty you’ve created around the world. Thank you for our children and blessing us with them. Thank you for our marriage and for giving us 7 wonderful years together. Thank you for all the fun times we’ve spent this past year with friends and family and for the blessings they are in our lives. Thank you Lord for your Word and the gift it is to us. What a privilege it’s been to spend time in your Word this past year.
Lord, I pray for your protection over our family in 2013, and for continued health and happiness. We look forward to what your plan holds for us in the coming year. We know whatever comes our way, you will be there through it all. Help us to live our lives in a way that may please you in the year to come.
Amen

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10 Responses to “ 2012 {Year in Review} ”

Anonymous said...

Looks like a great yr. Who do you tell Grayden he is visiting when with his birthdad? Do u see his birthmom?

Kate @ When Hello Means Goodbye said...

We tell him it's his birth dad, he knows all about his adoption story. We don't see his birth mom as frequently as his birth dad, but have had visits with her in the past.

Jodi said...

What an awesome year (except for the hospital visits). I think it is amazing that you get together w/ Grayden's birthfather and that you are open w/ him about his adoption story. I also think it is so nice that you and your sisters took a vacation together. Such fun!

Tomorrow I am starting #26Acts (in honor of Sandy Hook) so I'm going to check out your post and see if I can get any ideas. I plan to do 1 thing a day for the next 26 days and blog about it each week!

Anonymous said...

Katie.. can you share your weight loss plan? Also,, did your sister lose weight as well? She looks great. You both do!

Elma said...

Amen!! what a wonderful year for you!!!

Allison said...

Can you comment on your travel tips and how you find deals for cruising? You seem to enjoy them and hopefully find good deals. thanks, Allison

Kat said...

its crazy how much things change in just one year - the boys have grown so much. and omg u look incredible

Anonymous said...

I would love to hear your travel tips too! :) And where or how you book your cruises? Maybe another Q & A session? ;-)

Thanks!
Allyssa

Amy from Lizzy Beth said...

God is good ;) loved this post!

Lori B said...

Katie,

Congrats on reading through the Bible in a year; you inspire me! Making time for devotions has always been something that I have struggled with personally. I am a busy college student, but I do try to do devotions on a regular basis. Do you have any favorite devotionals or any tips on consistently spending quality time with God in spite of a busy life?

God Bless!
Lori