2009

I love the New Year. I love a blank slate. I love making goals and lists and plans, so the New Year affords all of this to my anal personality. :) For New Year’s Eve we ate dinner and played games with the whole family, and then I fell asleep with my head on Eric’s lap from 11:15-11:59, waking up to hear the countdown, kiss Eric, and get to bed as quickly as possible. Ah, the glorious night life of parents! :)

We have been talking a lot about the New Year and what it will hold, as well as remembering all the joys and trials of 2008. 2008 held medical drama for both me (preeclampsia with pregnancy) and Eli (NICU stay and many complications due to prematurity)- all unexpected and all trying, to say the least. But it also held, most joyously, the birth of our son! It held his arrival to our house after a very long period in the hospital. It held his first smile, his first laugh, his progress from a sick, tiny baby to a healthy, happy, normal (albeit small) little guy. 2008 held so much joy in our marriage as we learned about each other and about the Lord and walked through hard times and happy times together. Truly, there is nothing better than a happy marriage. I am endlessly thankful for my husband.

2009 will hold, presumably, Eli’s first steps, his first words, his first tooth, and probably even his first receipt of discipline. :) We eagerly look forward to experiencing more of life with our little son. 2009 will hopefully hold more happy growth in our marriage, in the Lord, and in our ministry to others. Whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, good or bad, we pray that we can react with grace, thankfulness, and obedience to the Lord.

As far as Eli goes, we are praying most of all at this point that we can avoid a feeding tube. We go back to the doctor for a weigh-in on Monday, and this will determine if Eli needs the tube or not. Oh, how we are praying that he weighs a good solid 13 pounds so that we can continue to work through his feeding aversion with our wonderful therapist, our wonderful naturopathicdoctor, and without a tube! Please join us in our prayer for lucky number 13! *And please leave a comment to let us know you are praying! It is so encouraging to know of others' prayers for Eli.*

Happy New Year (although a few days late)! May 2009 hold growth in the Lord for each one of us as we take His hand and walk with Him wherever He leads.