A Year in Review

2009.
The first half of the year was spent living life to the fullest in Virginia. I truly enjoyed every moment that I had with friends there, especially in the last few months before we moved.
Then came the last week of June - one of the most difficult times in my life. I had to say goodbye to a home, church, and friends that I had grown to love so dearly. The "lasts" were heart-wrenching. Last dinners, last bible study, last church service, and the list went on and on. I made it through, barely. I have to admit, a little piece of me is still in Virginia. That place, or more accurately, the people changed me, and stole a chunk of my heart. Not a day goes by without me thinking of something and someone that I love in Virginia. I can't wait for the day that I can go back and visit. In fact, it is the only place I have lived that I think about returning to.
On July 1st we boarded a plane to California, and spent the next 28 days enjoying one of the best vacations ever! We spent nearly a month in California visiting with family and friends. Last night we were talking about our favorite memories from 2009, and this trip was the overwhelming winner. We all had such a relaxing, much needed, time of rest and fellowship with our loved ones. It was a great way to say "goodbye" to our life in the States and prepare for living in Germany.
We arrived in Frankfurt on July 30th and our German adventure began. In the weeks that followed we adjusted to our house conditions, living and driving here, and being time-zones away from our family and friends. Our stuff arrived safely, Eli started school, we did a little local sight-seeing, and Matt left for Romania/Bulgaria for 6 weeks.
We welcomed our first guests in November (the Shrums) and headed to Rome, then Paris and a few stops in between. Matt went to Olso for 10 days in support of a bunch of Nobel Peace Prize activities, and when he returned his mom was here to spend a few weeks with us. We spent the weekend before Christmas in Berlin and spent the rest of the year close to home.
We had a wonderful year and are so thankful for the many blessings God provided for us.
As we enter into 2010 I am filled with excitement. I know that so much is in store for us this year. We have quite a few fabulous things planned already. We are looking forward to our trip to Prague for our anniversary in Jan, a weekend trip to the Alps in Feb, my parents visit in April, the Mlacks moving here in May, the Enrights' visit in the summer, and Matt's dad's visit in the fall. Those are just the things that made our calendar so far!
I fail miserably at New Year's Resolutions - but one thing I do hope and pray for is that I will be better in 2010. A better wife, mother, friend, sister, daughter, grand-daughter, student of the Word, and child of God.
Last night as I was stealing my last few moments of Christmas music I listened to the Reliant K song "I Celebrate the Day". The lyrics tell how (on Christmas morning) "here is where You're finding me, in the exact same place as New Year's eve. And from a lack of my persistency we're less than half as close as I want to be." My only prayer, hope, and resolution for this year is that as I stand before God a year from now, I am not in the same place as I am today.

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