Looking back and pressing ahead

Every year I make a new Shutterfly calendar.  It's fun picking out the appropriate pictures for each month of the year, and then realizing how much the kids have grown in a year's time.  But as I took down the old and put up the new calendar, I flipped through last year and noted in my mind and in my heart all of what last year meant to me personally and to our family.  So as we press on into 2011, here's what 2010 meant for me:

*Definitely the highlight of last year was the birth of Carter.  He is so sweet and yummy, and I just don't remember not having him as part of our family.  A healthy, almost 10 pound(!!!) baby boy, who looks just like his daddy was born February 23rd.  It's hard to believe he will be a year old next month.
*In addition to Carter, there were several new lives born this past year to family and friends.  My brother and his wife had baby Brooklyn, making the grand total of grandkids 8 on my side of the family.  Baby Amelia - what an answer to prayer; to see God's faithfulness play out in Bear and Amanda's life has been such a blessing to me!  Baby Pierce and Baby Graham (yay, Parker and Carter won't be quite so outnumbered). 
And in 2011, baby Myles made his grand appearance last week.  Baby Boeving will be here soon (yay, another boy!).  And Baby Foreman is "a bun in the oven". 
Praise God for these precious babies who are fearfully and wonderfully made!

*With the addition of baby #3, I didn't go back to work at St. Jude.  It was a bittersweet decision for our family, and one that I don't regret.  St. Jude holds a very dear piece of my heart in more ways than one...always will.

*Parker turned 2, and he got pottytrained (PTL)

*Avery started 4 year old preschool, and loves it.

*My sweet friends, Dori and Jennie Grace, got married.  Soooo happy for them!

*The life of our church and our personal ministry has grown!  Shane and I volunteered in VBS together and had a ton of fun with 2nd graders.  We've taken on a leadership role in our Sunday School class (I mean Life Group - ha).  Our class has been growing and new friendships have been formed; it's really neat to see how God has blessed the Powers' class.  Shane was ordained as a deacon.  Our class and our church is studying the "Year of the Bible", going through the chronological Bible, cover to cover, in this next year.  Good stuff.

*My nephew, Brady, confessed Jesus as his Lord and Savior and was baptized.  Amen.

*Vacation!  We went to Chattanooga last year and had such a fun time.  Family vacation is a must in this household...a tradition that will stand the test of time.

*And a bit on the sad note, my PawPaw passed away...and Jessica's Dad passed away.  But they passed away onto glory.  And because of the shed blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we will see them again.  And this same Jesus is the Great Comforter, who comforts those who mourn, and wipes away every tear from our eyes.

*I continue to watch in awe of my precious friend, Stephanie, who marked another year since Jason's death.  She's amazing, and I know that she gives all the glory to God.  Her insight into God's love and faithfulness, her wisdom in raising those 3 beautiful children on her own, her honesty, and her steadfast pursuit of God's righteousness...I tell her all the time she's one of my heroes in the faith. 

*Shane and I celebrated 6 years of marriage.  6 years and 3 kids later, here we are!  We are so wonderfully blessed!  I'm excited to see what God has in store for 2011.  So far, I'm hoping for a 1/2 marathon (we'll see...maybe not), DisneyWorld is booked for September, Avery will start kindergarten in the Fall......aside from those few things, I'm wide open.  Let's roll!