Goodbye, Adieu, Addio, Auf weidersehen, Adios 2007!

2007--WOW, what a year! I could go on and on about all of the wonderful things that have happened in our lives over the past year but I will let the blog speak for itself. It's been an amazing year to say the least. Great memories (and a few not so great) are filed away in their respective filing drawers of my brain. We have spent tons of quality time together as a family. We survived selling and building a new home (and we didn't hurt each other during the process). We made the difficult decision of leaving a church we dearly loved only to be welcomed with open arms at our new church home. Hands down, this move was the best decision we made the entire year.

When I step outside the box and look at the blessings I have been given in 29 years, I am nothing short of humbled. There are many titles I dreamed of holding in my life but none more coveted than wife and Mother. Those dreams are no longer dreams. They are my reality each and every day. Fabulous days, ordinary days and even tough days, there is nowhere I would rather be than right here with my family.

I would like to close 2007 describing the three loves of my life and who they at this moment in time...

Daddy...the first love of my life, the very core of my heart and the greatest gift God has given me. He is a determined provider for our family in ways that go much deeper than dollar signs. His growing relationship with God, our marriage and our children are his #1 priorities. The desire of his heart is to be an amazing Father. In my opinion, he has no problem exceeding that goal. He is strong and confident yet tenderhearted and kind. In 11 years, he has wiped many Charlie Brown tears. Some of them were the tears of others. Some were tears of his own and he doesn't have a problem with that. He is fun yet serious. He is intelligent yet humble. He makes business decisions as confidently as I can decide what's for dinner. He loves his job and goes to work every day to be with his friends, not his employees. He is my reality check when I forget to take off my rose colored glasses. He is my patience when mine is stretched. He is my encouragement. He is my love. He is my confidante. He is my best friend.

J...the love of our lives, our first child, our miracle. Tears of joy well up just writing his name. In the words of Celine Dion, "You're my life's one miracle". That is the best way to describe the first few years of his precious life. No matter how many years pass us by, we will always remember that he is our "life's one miracle" straight from the hand of God. He is bright and inquisitive. He is strong willed and determined. He is Daddy's #1 fan. He is funny with a side of silliness. He loves to be entertained and is quite the entertainer on his own. He loves computers and video games in any shape, form or fashion. He is tenderhearted, sensitive and kind. He is mischievous and sneaky. He loves his little sister in a way that melts my heart. He thinks he's smarter than Mommy and Daddy and some days we let him believe it. He is NEVER at a loss for words...EVER! He has an opinion on everything and is quick to share it with you. He keeps me on my toes and reminds me daily that being a Mom is not for wimps. He is the gift that opened my eyes to a world I never would have known without him...the world of Motherhood. He is strong. He is sweet. He is smart. He is brave. He is our little man...always.

MG...the love of our lives, our daughter, our gift from God. The namesake of both of her great Grandmothers, she radiates the spunk of both women all rolled into one. Each and every day I am amazed by this little girl as she explores her world with such awe and wonder. She has a boundless vocabulary and her ability to understand at 18 months old is nothing short of phenomenal to me. She loves Dora and Elmo almost as much as she loves her Daddy (and that's A LOT). She is laid back yet headstrong. She is sweet yet sassy. She is deliberate...she knows how to cut those big brown eyes, flash her smile and get exactly what she wants. Her Daddy melts at the sight of her "scrunched up eye smile" and I've been known to do the same. She came into this world with that ability and unfortunately for us, it hasn't changed. She has the cutest laugh and the most pitiful cry...one that even her brother can't dismiss. She is full of life and boundless energy. There is nothing sweeter than her armless hugs and slobbery, wet kisses. This precious child owns a piece of my heart that I never knew was empty until she filled it. Very simply, she is pure joy in one little baby girl body and everything I could have imagined a daughter would be.

We are thankful for each and every blessing God has given us this year. 2007 has been amazing and the coming year is sure to bring many new adventures. Looking forward, it is a great year in the making. I can not wait to see what God has in store for our family in 2008. Goodbye, Adieu, Addio, Auf weidersehen, Adios 2007!