Happy New Year!!!!

I don't know about you, but the ringing in of the new year always makes me look back on the year ending and forward to the year ahead.

This past year has been a whirlwind! Getting settled into our new home, church and town. Getting pregnant and all the fun and not so fun stuff that goes along with that. Giving birth in a manner I had hoped I wouldn't have to. Recovering from the c-section and starting life with a new member of the family. While I never really ever wanted to experience pregnancy, I do love this little man very much. He was worth it. It is weird how he is a wiggle over two months old and yet it seems like he has been with us and a part of us forever. What a huge blessing!

Next year will be bitter sweet. As Derrek grows and learns and explores, Ray will be preparing to deploy to Iraq with his National Guard unit. Sometime in spring is when they expect to head out. With that, Derrek and I plan to spend some time back home in Maryland.

While it saddens me that Ray will be away, I'm grateful for his sacrifice. Yes, I'll be alone with Derrek and without much family close by, but Ray will not get the privilege to see Derrek grow and change every single day. We are going to have to be creative with keeping in touch. Hopefully, while difficult, the experience will bring us closer together as a family in the long run. It certainly has made us appreciate this time together before the deployment. We take no day for granted.

Now, if you look back at the first few posts of this blog, you will see that I did a month long experiment called "Surprise Me, God." It is based on a book by that name. This dude woke up every morning for a month and his only prayer was, "Surprise Me, God." The book itself is his journal of what happened. I really enjoyed it the first time I did it and I really do think the new year is a good time to do it again. While I did complete that month long experiment, I didn't journal or blog the whole thing. This time I intend to blog each day for a month my experiences.

Happy New Year To Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!! God bless you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!