December 2019

December kicked off with a holiday fundraiser for Haddis Ministries.  We are so thankful that we were able to raise funds that provided for an entire year of hygiene supplies, increased nutritional support and medical care for our kids in Gondar.

The little boys and I extended our Thanksgiving trip to Florida to be there for the fundraiser which meant we got to fly home.

This was the first flight for them (at least that they could remember) and they did great!

We got home just in time to celebrate this handsome guy turning the big 4-0.

Nick and I got away for the night in Charlotte thanks to a friend lending us her super cute townhouse.

Back at home, the boys got in some winter fun ice skating.

Our dear friend April spent Christmas with us.  She's like an Aunt to the kids and we all loved having her with us at Christmas time.

Christmas morning 2019

And a happy 12th birthday to our Colton!

December 2019 proved to be quite stressful.  Our lives had gotten so jam packed with activities and commitments.  We have so many changes coming with the kids all growing up and many becoming teenagers, driving, getting ready to leave for college ect. and it just felt like I was grasping at the days and they were just slipping through my fingers.

I always strive to slow down at Christmas and celebrate the true meaning of the birth of Christ, but this year things never slowed down.  We decided to throw a Christmas Eve, Eve party, our first big team trip to Ethiopia with Haddis was only a few weeks away and we were leaving right after Christmas for Florida.  It felt like we still, even after four years, are just figuring out our new traditions in our "new" home.  I think I tried to overcompensate to make things special and instead, I ended up exhausted.  

Looking back now, I knew we needed to drastically 

slow down our lives.  

Little did I know, the great slow down of 2020 was coming...