Happy New Year

It's a New Year. A blank canvas for God to paint on. Last year is in the rear view mirror, fading fast. While there are things that happened that won't be forgotten, this whole New Year stretches out before us, waiting to unfold.

We capped off our "experience" year with a trip to Disneyland. It was magical, traumatic, fun and (at times) full of irritation. Harley got sick, I had one break down and, thank goodness, Matt did great! Overall, it was a wonderful trip. We rode all the rides, ate all the food and just enjoyed the time with our girls. It was a perfect ending to our not so perfect year.

It's funny, right, how you start off a New Year with a "Plan"? Last year, we planned our "experience" year. Ha! While we did a lot of the things, some of them were done without Matt. We certainly didn't "Plan" TWO back surgeries. We didn't plan on PTO/ESL running out. We didn't plan Matt sitting at our kitchen table for two months. We didn't plan on buying a new car. We didn't even plan the trip to Disneyland! That was a BONUS!!

Our plans for last year....torn up and tossed away. We learned to take the moments as they came. We learned to roll with the punches. We learned that, while it might not look like what we wanted, it was exactly what God had planned. We learned to trust and lean on Him fully. We learned that Matt is special...4% special. We learned that we are stronger together than we thought. We learned that our girls are stronger than we knew. We learned that time doesn't wait.

Grasp this time, friends. It may not look like what you thought it would, but it's YOURS. Slow down, sit a while and soak up those around you. It's so easy to be overwhelmed by what is happening...we often forget to enjoy the moments.

This is a whole New Year. A giant, empty slate. This Year....every day a new day. Every day a blessing from God, even if it doesn't "feel" like it. Every day, surrounded by a Father who loves more than I ever could.

We have tentatively planned this year to be our "Explore Idaho" year. We'll see.

Grasp God, friends. His hand is outstretched. He loves you.

Happy New Year.