The clasic end of the year post...

Wow,  2013 has been an amazing year! Last night while my sweet husband was putting our precious 2 month old to sleep I started looking through old facebook posts. I am so thankful for where the Lord has brought us this year. 2012 was a very difficult year for us, probably the hardest we've had. It brought Eric and I through looking for new jobs (at the same time), struggling to connect with each other, and going through some difficult refiners fires with our Savior. Then we ended last year yearning for a baby and trying to trust and lean on our Lord for His timing.

Little did we know the Lord wouldn't keep us waiting for long! After only two rounds of clomid we were pregnant. 2013 was full of new pregnant experiences; the joys of getting to know our sweet Luke before we even set eyes on him! The Lord brought Eric and I closer together this year and he began the healing process with relationships that had been distant for years with my family. He taught me to lean on him, and that His plan is ALWAYS the right plan. He gently pushed my heart to rely completely on him and trust him with something so precious, our sweet baby. (Which is continuing now that he is here and I am even more in love with him!)

Here is a little look back on 2013 in pictures.

 Technically it was Dec 2012, but we added this little guy to our family. It was a rough start, Gus wasn't so sure of sharing his family, toys and food with this little wild one, but now they are brothers and friends!

We were able to finish our kitchen remodel early this year. (We have been blessed to be in the middle of a remodel every new years eve since we've been in this house! We're taking the year off.) I feel so spoiled to have such a beautiful kitchen to cook in. My husband rocks!!

 

 So wonderful to finish my first year and start my second in Salado! I get to teach surrounded by such caring and loving people! Thankful the Lord brought me here! (yikes, sorry for the selfie... so not me!)

Our first look at sweet Luke! Oh how we cried seeing that little heart beat flash! The Lord is so good!

Letting our friends and family know we were having a baby BOY!

 We got to watch our sweet niece Addie grow into a beautiful one year old!

I got to share my pregnancy with this sweet friend! So thankful that we could share pregnancy symptoms and that our boys are only two weeks apart! Can't wait for them to meet and become friends!

So excited about getting closer to my sweet momma. I'm excited to watch her be a grandma to little Luke!

Blessed.... that's all I can say about these sweet friends! The Lord blesses me daily through these girls!

This man... he's my best friend, my love, and now the best daddy out there! This year, through pregnancy, a rough delivery and healing, Eric showed me so much care and love! The Lord has truly made us one and I am so blessed to call him mine!

Let's face it... the star of 2013, Luke William! It was such a joy to meet the little one that had been punching, squirming and hiccuping inside me for so long. The Lord continued to use Luke's birth to teach this ex-planer that His ways are best! Now, every day I get to love on this sweet little one and watch him grow! I love him more than I knew I could!

2013 was a busy, fantastic year! Thankful, blessed, joyful.... the only words to describe it! I know that the Lord is with us through good times and bad. So excited to see what 2014 brings!