In Review, Part 4

When Ms. Tikvah was 2 weeks old, Joe started his new job in Bismarck, ND.  We were living outside of Fargo, so each week, on Sunday night, Joe would load up the car and head to Bismarck.  He stayed with his Aunt Evie and Uncle Paul Sunday night through Thursday night and on Friday evening after work, he'd climb back in the car and head for Colfax.  As a result, this is how we spent the weekends.

He also ran a half marathon in May with his sister, Bethany, and her husband, Josh.  Tikvah and I cheered him on.

After four months of the long commute, we moved

into a home I will always be sad we had to sell.

Although I wish we'd stayed a lifetime, I'm grateful the Lord allowed us to live in this beautiful home for 11 months.

In those 11 months, this favorite of ours came for a visit,

we began our first year of homeschooling, we hosted Joe's family for Thanksgiving and we spent Christmas throwing up at my mom's place.

2013

2013 was a hard year.  We did a lot of waiting.  But not everything was hard, some things came easy, like first-time homemade pasta,

and freedom from braces,

and a platypus tea party with fancy, feathery, pink hats.

Other things required patience.  Like snow in April,

selling our home and moving for the second time in 11 months.

We counted the days

until Isaiah Timothy made his appearance in the world

and we could finally fill the entire bookshelf.

We persevered through moldy furniture in storage,

and waited for God to provide the perfect van to seat eight.

And we sat quiet for 8 1/2 months and waited for God to provide Joe a job, 

and then a new home to rent.

With another move under our belt,

we got another visit from Beth and her mom, Nancy.

We celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time on our own in many years.  I kept it interesting with the cooking and Joe's family joined us on Friday.

This was the Christmas of the Jayhawk Jammie.

2014

This year brought lots of snow and very cold temperatures in the early months.  That didn't stop us from celebrating this five year old's tea party.

We also found a new home this summer(more on that soon), which means another move (no comment, unless you consider a large sigh a comment).

We discovered the fun of an all family bike ride (five bikes, a bike trailer and a baby seat style bike ride),

and the not so fun of a kidney stone and its removal.

We went camping and, for once, we didn't have the youngest child in attendance (youngest child not pictured).

At ten years, we end, just like we began.  Under an archway in your parent's yard.  

Grateful for all God has brought us through, hopeful for what He has next, certain He will see us through every step we take, excited to see what the next ten years will hold, and glad that each step I'll take, as long as He allows, I'll take with you.  

Happy 10th Anniversary, Joe.