Year in Review: Farewell, 2016!

It's the most reflective time of the year!! The last day of 2016...we're all three fighting colds and it's a dreary day outside, so despite my foggy brain, it's a good day to sit down with a cup of tea (good ol' echinacea for sickness!) and reflect on the previous year as well as perhaps a few goals for the coming one.

This year proved to be less eventful than 2015 but still quite big year when it comes to milestones and life changes.

January- My husband led two buses to the March for Life in Washington D.C. despite a giant snowstorm. They were stranded on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for almost two days on the way back, but God (as He so often does) worked good from the bad when their bus driver confessed an old abortion wound and found healing and prayer with them.

I began the art of breadmaking. ;)

February- P surprised me with a homemade meal, a trail of rose petals, and a handwritten card for my birthday when I got home from work. I'm pretty sure the morning sickness was gone by then. I made my very own German chocolate birthday cake from scratch and it was delish.

K and R came over for my birthday and we spent the day making greeting cards. Oh, how I miss my girlfriends now that I live farther away! Our times together are few and far between.

March- We found out we were having a GIRL! We both had been quite sure that baby G was a boy and even had 'his' name picked out. So much for mother's intuition! I was thrilled, though! I come from generations of beautifully strong woman (my mom, my grandma, my great-grandma...) and I remember crying during the ultrasound with joy and hope that this little lady would be strong too and make it to the end of the pregnancy healthy. I was also very excited about my emerging bump.

April- Spring was arriving at our new home and I loved seeing the blooms at our house and throughout the neighborhood. I'm in love with this weeping cherry tree by our porch...it's the closest thing to the weeping willow tree I've always dreamed of having. ;)

We had a beautiful, emotional fundraiser for the crisis pregnancy where I work. My handsome hubby was the emcee that you see on the screen. ;)

May- I continued to get bigger. :)

P and I stole away for our FIRST ANNIVERSARY! So exciting. Nothing big, but we loved our little getaway to Amish Country. Great food, no responsibilities, beautiful weather, and even a buggy ride.

June- Two weeks off work. Two baby showers. Lots of traveling and lots of summer heat!! We visited my husband's big brother and his family down south and enjoyed some hiking.

July- Our precious daughter was born. You can read her birth story here.  So thankful. So thankful. She had tons of dark hair, which delighted me. And I was able to eat Subway once again and devoured a 6-inch within hours after birth. 

August- A blur of new baby adjustments! Lack of sleep, painful breastfeeding, lots and lots of snuggles and wonder. Many smiles (mine and hubby). Many tears (mine and baby). 

September- Beautiful fall weather. Lots of walks with the stroller. I chopped off six inches of my hair. We attempted a date night out with the baby and decided to never do it again wait awhile before attempting again.

October- I joined a mother's group at our church and it was so helpful for me. I didn't feel as isolated and I was able to laugh more at the hard parts of motherhood instead of feeling like I was doing it wrong. My friend and I began hosting our monthly book club and between these two books and women's events, I was soaking up so much wisdom! (if only it would stay...) My family visited us for our annual trick-or-treat in the neighborhood (we all dress up, adults included). P was a baseball player, I was Mary Poppins, and baby G was a ladybug. My parents and brothers definitely topped us all with their Downton Abbey costumes!!!

I went dairy and soy free for G's tummy issues. 

And oh yeah...I found the perfect bread recipe. ;)

November- I returned to work at the pregnancy center one day a week while P stayed home with G. It was SO hard to get her to take a bottle and it took months until she would. It was great to get out once a week without the baby and re-charge with other likeminded women. We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family and put our Christmas decorations up that weekend. We hung outdoor lights for the first time and loved their cozy twinkling through the window. 

December- A lot of good and a lot of hard. Baby G went through some tough transitions with sleep that left us without much free time or time as a couple. However, it was also special to celebrate Advent and Christmas as a family. 

All in all, it was a beautiful yet challenging year. I learned a lot about myself (a few strengths and many weaknesses!). I'll save some of that for a future post in the new year. ;) 

For now, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours. Many blessings to you, sweet friends, and thanks for being with me this year. I'll leave you with a great quote I read this morning...

"New Year's Eve--this is the moment of beginning again...the moment in which the old touches the new, in which we offer gratitude to God."  -Catherine Doherty