2010... a year in review

Good bye 2010. I kind of think I should use an exclamation point because I'm kind of glad its over but when I think about the year as whole, it definitely had its beauty. It started off rocky with marriage problems and the trials of having 3 kids with the oldest being 3. We plowed through those first months wondering if we would survive, trying desperately to keep our heads above water. John Mark and I completely lost touch with each other and we suffered... we all suffered. Finally Spring came and the sweet rains of redemption and grace poured over our family, our marriage, our children, all of it. When we entered into the joy of freedom and restoration, I realized how long we had been suffering. It hadn't just been a quick season of our lives, it had been a slow build up of business, hurt, disappointment and eventually we hit despair. At the rocky bottom of despair is when you have to stand up battered and bruised and look around to assess the damages, to see if anything is worth salvaging and make a plan of action. As the spring time of our souls arrived we decided to flee this place we call despair with everything we had left in us. So we clung to one another and fought for our lives. Here I am 9 months later and it was totally worth the fight. I would endure it all again for the beauty that I behold today, for the promise and hope I have the horizons of tomorrow. We called upon our magnificent God and said, 'Whatever it takes, whatever the cost, we will follow you, just for a glimpse of your beauty again.' He does not disappoint.

So that was the big turn around of 2010. There we so many other events that captured my heart and made this year amazing.
 In March my little man turned 2! He went from a toddler to a big kid over night. At two years old, he was tall, he was chatty and he was all boy. He's awesome.

We celebrated in typical Nysewander fashion... zoo and Sapporo

In April we started marriage counseling with the amazing Melissa Hubbard. If your marriage is on the rocks or even if you just feel you need a bit of a refresher, she is amazing and SO insightful. Totally worth it!
Both elder kiddos are in pre-school and loving it! They both have some wonderful teachers who we are so thankful for.  Zaya and Jacob are also in gymnastics (shout out to Gymnastics Academy of Atlanta!) and Zaya does ballet at Woodstock Baptist church. As you can see, life gets crazy in these parts and we're hoping to slow down and enjoy the little things a bit more :) I'm looking forward to 2011 and all the "little things" it has to offer.

Ready for the first day!

In August we celebrated 7 years of marriage and, let me tell you, it deserved celebrating! It made both of realize the need to celebrate. Period. The small victories we have together, the things we overcome as a couple. It is all worthy of a celebration. Happy # 7 to us!

In September my big girl turned 4! What? She is becoming a beautiful young lady and I love the little performer who is starting to grace the home.

John Mark and I both rolled over another year (we're only 2 months apart) and I refuse to own to my age. But its already proven to be a great age... We're a fine bottle of wine... just getting better and better!
In December I took Zaya to the Nutcracker for her first encounter with the live stage. She LOVED it! The fox is a magical place for a little girl... I remember it well.

December was also the month, my baby, my little bitty girl turned 1!!!!!!! She is awesome and remarkable and I just loving breathing in all of her wonderful hugs.  She has blessed our lives in immeasurable ways. Needles to say, with her birthday being in December, she had many milestones this year: rolling over, crawling (she did this super early... I like to brag on her a bit!), first teeth, first steps, first everythings. My girl accomplished more than most in one short year. I'm not ready to think of who she will be next year at this time... for now she's still my baby.

First meal!

First Spaghetti dinner

Halloween as a monkey

First Birthday!!!

 With all the joys and sorrows of last year, I'm ready to take on 2011. I'm ready to dive into truth and to find my place among those contending before the thrown of God. I'm ready to breathe in this life and these lives that surround me, to glean every bit of joy that I can out of each day. I'm ready to embrace the blessings in my life and to see the hurdles as what they are and not turn them into mountains. This year has so much promise, not because I have the power to make it anything more than a complete and utter disaster, but because it is a year given to me by God. A year spent with God. There's nothing better.