Year in Review

In January we were thankful for good medical care as we learned to control H & R's asthma, a doctor that H finally liked, R's birthday, and S's involvement with Scouts.

In February we were thankful for H's 3rd birthday, weekly activities to keep Mom & H busy (Mon - Music Makers, Wed - Playgroup, Thu - Preschool), and a Valentine's Day temple trip for Mom & Dad!

In March we were thankful for dental care (esp. R's new occlusal guard), good friends who help us out when we need a hand, and the chance S had to guest lecture two classes at UNC and NCSU.

In April we were thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ when two different friends lost babies, we watched our prophets and apostles speak during General Conference, and we attended the baptism of our friends' son.

In May we were thankful S could attend Open Repositories 2009, an annual conference about institutional repositories, in Atlanta, GA. We were also thankful for the $8,000 price drop on a house that allowed us to make an offer!

In June we were thankful for good timing and airplanes! Some close friends invited R to attend the birth of their twin boys, who decided to come two days after their grandmother arrived and two days before R's parents came for a fun-filled, four-day visit! :) We were so thankful for the chance to help good friends who'd helped us so much, as well as for a great friend who worked for us as our real estate agent.

In July we were thankful for many, many things: first, to close on our house before leaving town for three weeks, even if it did end up being the day before we left; second, to learn that we were expecting another child!; third, to visit our greatly missed family in three states and attend three of four family reunions; fourth, that our little family of three was only hit four times, rather than six or nine times, by the stomach flu bug that apparently was running rampant in every state we entered. (We're rather curious if it's the same bug that some friends here in NC accidentally took to UT a month or two prior. Their kids started puking on the plane ride there, and the entire wedding party--including the bride and groom--quickly became sick as well!)

In August S was thankful he could attend the annual Society of American Archivists conference. He was able to present a software application he'd written for Duke at The Researcher's Forum, a pre-conference event. Although R was learning what it was like to really be sick during pregnancy, she was thankful she wasn't sicker than she could have been, and she was especially grateful for a daughter who didn't mind watching tv morning after morning as Mommy slept or eating cereal for every meal while Daddy was out of town.

In September we were thankful for good quality children's shows every morning on PBS and for a Daddy who'd come home and make dinner every night. :)

In October we were thankful R was finally getting a little more energy! Back to playgroups, visiting teaching, babysitting, and--yes--even making dinner at night. ;) This came right before S and then H became sick near the end of the month, so it really was a blessing. We were also thankful for the generous amount of time S has been able to take off from work, which has allowed him to attend R's prenatal visits and ultrasounds.

In November we were again thankful for timing. R and H came down with the flu in time to recover just enough to still spend Thanksgiving with two of R's brothers and their families in Alabama. Again, we were very thankful for PBS and a husband/daddy who could come home and cook dinner and wash dishes!

In December we were thankful R had started Christmas preparations early and that S was fine with a quiet birthday celebration at home since his baby girl was sick. We are especially thankful that on this, her third week of illness, H decided she really didn't mind taking her antibiotic that much after all. That was just the blessing we'd been praying for, as we know too well how not fun serious infections are. She started feeling better just in time to enjoy the holiday. Phew! Again, we're thankful for good friends who help us out when we're in a bind and for family who keep us in their prayers when we're struggling.

Here's to the upcoming year!