Closing out 2012

The last weeks of 2012 were full of a lot of emotions- joy, celebration, love, hope, sorrow, fear, confusion, to name a few. We spent time with our families, took a big road trip, saw some old friends, talked about a lot things, and ate a lot of good food. I was able to take two weeks off of work. I was so grateful to be able to spend a large chunk of time with my family out on the east coast during that time. And I was blessed by many prayers, thoughtful words, and sweet gestures of love from those around me remembering Naomi and knowing this first Christmas without her would be so hard. It was. But we made it. And the day itself was sweet.

Three days before Christmas was the six month anniversary of Naomi’s Heaven Day. We went to the cemetery.

Then we headed east to my parents’ house. So much precious little boy on the night before Christmas…with his new teddy, his heart bear from Mended Little Hearts in memory of his sister. We bought one for each boy and then gave two of these little bears to other children who are fighting CHDs.

We light our candles and celebrate the Light who has come into our darkness.

Christmas morning with all kinds of serious ninja action around the tree kept me smiling.

And my parent’s new puppy kept the boys smiling and running!

As the year came to a close we drove south to visit dear friends from our Wheaton College days who live now in North Carolina. Ah, the beauty of the mountains…a welcomed sight for these flatlanders!

4314 feet above sea level! In a new year we drove north and west again, home, full of questions about what the future would hold after a year of so much heartache and yet holding onto hope.