Our 2014 Highlight

This has been the year of all years for us!

1. January 4, 2014 We found out that we would be needing another car seat in the mini van.  And John's comment to me when I told him we were pregnant, yet again, was, "It's fine honey, we have a mini van now, there's always room for one more!"

2. February- We got to spoil our sister in law Laurie at her baby shower for the twins.  Afterwards we sat her down and my mother in law and gave them two wrapped gifts.  When they opened the framed sonogram of our baby they had no idea what we were telling them.  They thought we were giving them a picture frame.  Then we announced...we are due Sept 3rd!!! I think people in China heard my in laws screaming.  Laurie kept yelling, "Get me up! Get me up!" (she was very pregnant and wanted to get out of her seat to hug us).  It was my favorite moment of all time.  My father in law just kept saying, holy s@#%! over and over and over. 

3. March-Micah turned 1 and was dedicated at our church Jacobs Well in North Brunswick.  A family dedication is basically a special ceremony where families with young children ask the people in the church to pray for them as they raise their family in Christ.  It's a really special day.  And we loved the support we felt as our MC (missional community) stood up front with us and prayed for us.

4. April-We continued getting our home ready to sell and put it on the market.  Staging our home with 3 kids was no easy task, but thankfully I have a great team mate who helped me through it.

5. May-On John's birthday we had a huge BBQ and gender reveal and we found out that the fourth baby mac was going to be a GIRL.  I wish you could've been there to hear Julia and Naomi Fields cheering, and see the smiles/shock on our faces, everyone told us it was going to be a boy...but God knew we needed another girl!

6. May-The twins Ava and Nik (our godson) were born.  They are the sweetest twins you ever did see.  Julia and I headed to meet them for the very first time at the hospital the second we were allowed.  And Cinzia my best friend baby sat my boys. (thanks chi chi)  Julia and I and all of us are smitten by our new cousins.  They are so perfect.  And Laurie and Kelsey are such great parents!

7. June-Last week of June was spent on our family trip to COTW.  On the first day we were there we learned our house was sold!  The only problem was we had no idea it would happen so fast and now we had to scramble to find the perfect home!  I will never forget how we looked every day at the TeePee (coffee shop) on the internet for our new home.

8. July-House hunting, packing, and being 8 months pregnant, not fun at all.  Putting a bid on a home that I personally felt very connected to, and then watching it fall through broke my heart, but all the while God had and even better home waiting for us in Freehold.

9. August-Celebrating 11 years of marriage and hearing our attorney finally tell us our mortgage was approved on this new home of our dreams was probably one of the best days of our life.  Especially since we would not be homeless...because who sells their home and buys a new one in 30 days!? I have fully learned that with man nothing is possible but with God ALL things are possible.

10. August 27 Amelia Susanna was born at 10:49pm...after a long 15 hour labor (only got intense around 3pm)  It was not my easiest labor but finally our very healthy 9lber was born!  And she had the biggest cheeks and sweetest face I have ever seen.

11. August 29 We move into our new home...literally John picked me up from the hospital and drove me to the attorney's office to sign papers so we could move in that night.  It was the longest week of our lives, but we LOVE our new home and we ADORE our Amelia.

12. September-although we live one house away from the elementary school, we began another year of homeschooling.  This in fact has been the hardest year of home school yet.  I have a needy newborn, an active toddler, and two smart big kids who need me to teach them and its SOOOO overwhelming every day, BUT with God all things are possible and each day I just tell Him how much I can't do this in my own strength.

13. October-connecting with our neighbors in Freehold has been amazing.  This is such a sweet community and we are making a lot of cool friends, and 4 kids seems to be a very common thing on our block, its rather awesome.  I don't feel like the crazy lady with the most kids anymore.

14. November-Amelia was dedicated at our church...it was kind of funny because we literally just dedicated a baby at the last dedication, and here we were again!  But it was so special and we had Amelia's awesome god parents and their families over after church.  It was the best day ever.  I loved just seeing everyone from my immediate family, and John's immediate family and our friends there in one place.

15. December-This month John finished another seminary class, he is very close to completing his degree, and our sweet Julia will turn 7!  Looking over this past year I just really see God's hand, His perfect timing, and His grace on us.  We didn't deserve all that He gave us, but He gave it to us.  He's been so good to us all along, and we are thankful.  None of it has been easy, and there were times that I was so frustrated and unsure of what the next month would hold.  But it was just one of those years that looking back it's amazing to see how far you've come.  And it's nice to know we were never, ever, alone.