2018 Year End Review

Looking back at 2018 brings tears to my eyes at how good and faithful the Lord has been to us.  We have gone through so much transition over the past year and it is amazing to look back and see how much we have grown!

Just to recap....end of 2017 we had just resigned from a job overseas that we loved and took a step of faith and Jay took a job at Faith Baptist in Bartlett.  The kids finished a homeschool year, we moved to a rental house a month later, went to Ghana in summer of 2018, the kids tested in and transitioned into public school in the Fall, got our first puppy, Jay traveled to Brazil, Brayden transitioned to the youth group, Karis got braces, and Amanda started the process to reinstate teaching license.  We also got to experience many birthday and holidays in the States with family which we will never take for granted again. The Lord gave us so many new friends within our church family which was so needed!

We end 2018 with a full heart!

Take a look at the top 100 events from 2018.....

JANUARY

January 2-Daddy starts his new job as the Missions Pastor at Faith Baptist Church

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New Year's Eve 2018....

We had a blast ringing in the New Year 2019 with some of our closest friends!  We ate all night, played lots of games, laughed a ton, watched the ball drop in NYC and counted down to 2019!

This year was a little bittersweet because this is the first year Karis spent the New Year with her friends.  We knew the day would come and it is a bittersweet day.  When we moved home we knew this time in her life was very pivotal and we prayed so hard for her to meet some close friends.  And the LORD has been so faithful to us.  Not only did she meet one really good friend (which is really what we prayed for), but he gave her so many more than we expected.  These girls have been such a blessing in her life and other than us, there is no other people we would rather her ring in the New Year with.  We missed her so much but are so grateful for how things have progressed over the past year! 

Christmas Break

We have so enjoyed Christmas break with no school!  We have had so many lazy days, drank endless coffee and hot chocolate, eaten lots of yummy stuff, slept late, watched many movies and no homework. It has been sooooo good and we don't want it to end!

Christmas Day 2018

It's Christmas Day and our Savior is born!  So much anticipation for this day and it is finally here!  One of my favorite days of the year!!!!!

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

We always start with breakfast and the reading of the Christmas story....

Christmas Night at Lolli's 2018

After the movie with Lolli, Pop and cousins, we went to Lolli's house for Christmas dinner and gift exchange for all the kids.  It is always good to get together with everybody although we missed Jonathan and Jenna and kids!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 2018

This is our second annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Faith.  It is one of my favorite services of the year! 

Day at the park

It's Christmas Break and we  are enjoying it although anticipation of Christmas coming kinda has us climbing the walls!  Outside it is...burn off that energy!

Christmas 2018 at Nonnies

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year and we love the memories we make at Nonnie and Grandmothers house!  It is always a highlight! Not to mention, the food is ALWAYS delcious!

Lucy's 3rd grade class Christmas party

I enjoyed getting to be a part of Lucy's class Christmas party this year and doing a craft with them.  It was fun seeing Lucy in her element and I think she enjoyed having mom there.  I don't know how long it will last that she enjoys me being a part of things, so I will enjoy it for as long as it lasts!

Happy 43rd birthday Jay!

My main squeeze, main man Jay turns 43 today!  We love celebrating him!

We spent the day together and ate dinner at Red Lobster and went and looked at Christmas lights together, his choice.

Oak Christmas Concert

The 3rd grade at Lucy's school performed some songs they had learned in music at their Christmas concert.  It was so cute!

Gymnastics show day

Lucy participated in her gymnastics' Olympic Day.  It was her first show day of gymnastics and she loved every minute of it!  

Appling Fall Formal...Snowflake 2018

Karis' 8th grade and Brayden's 6th grade fall formal was a success!  They loved going with their friends and being a part of such a big dance!  Karis looked beautiful and Brayden looked so handsome!

Next Gen Christmas Party

Lucy and I were able to go to Karis and Brayden's NextGen Christmas party and we even got to meet the Chick-fil-a cow!

Lucy's appling performance

Lucy signed up for a dance camp one Saturday and had no idea that she would get to perform at the middle school game half time.  She was nervous but loved every minute!  

Mother Daughter Craft night @ Faith

Lucy and I enjoyed craft night together at church making a Mary/Joseph/baby Jesus craft.  It was fun making memories with my girl!

Greatest Story Ever Told...Christmas Musical at Faith

Lucy and Brayden got the chance to be a part of the Faith Musical this year and Lucy was also a part of the children's choir.  It was a joy to watch them be a part of it!

These ladies bless my life!

These friends of mine, girls in my connection class, brighten my life and make me better.  SOOO grateful for them and the way the have influenced me over the past year!

Moments with my Lucy!

Love my cuddly girl...moments to treasure.

We love our Duke!!!

Our Krispy Kreme good samaritan

We met this sweet lady at McAlisters last week and befriended her.  She worked at Krispy Kreme and told us that she would bring us donuts the next week.  AND SHE DID!  We saw her the next week and she brought us half a dozen donuts.  We were floored!

Oak's float in the Bartlett Parade 2018

I had a blast being a part of Oak's Elf float in the Bartlett Christmas parade.  I did some of the lettering and we got to walk in the parade which was a first!

Thanksgiving 2018 at Nonnie's

This Thanksgiving season has been a sweet one.  We have so much to be grateful for and we are counting our blessings!  Alot has changed since last Thanksgiving when we revealed to our families that we would likely be staying.  The Lord has been so faithful and provided a home that we could rent, friends that abound more than whatever we thought possible, a great 1st year of work for Jay, the kids adjusted back to public school and I am well on my way to getting my teaching license renewed.  We have enjoyed time with family over the year and certainly enjoyed being settled for a long while.  We have all grown leaps and bounds and the Lord has been faithful through every step!

Please click below for lots of fun pictures of Thanksgiving!

Christmas tree decorating 2018

It is always so much fun and brings back so many memories when we pull out the ornaments to decorate the tree.  I love to reminisce and make memories with the family!

Each year we let everybody get a new ornament that represents that year for them somehow.  I chose a globe because we went to Ghana, Brayden chose Fortnite, Lucy chose a shoe for new clothes when transitioning to public school, Karis chose a crown for the year she was on Homecoming Court, and Jay chose an angel.  

Ice cream with the besties!

So thankful Karis has these girls in her life.  She had no idea what she was missing a year ago, but Jay and I prayed hard that this would happen.   Now she has the bestest of friends we could have ever imagined.  Blessing overflow!