2012 Year in Review

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This year in review is a little belated - I had wanted to do it before the New Year actually began but both Faith and I fell ill with the flu and I had zero energy. It's hard to be creative with no energy! While I became sick shortly after Christmas, Faith got sick on New Year's Eve. On Friday, she finally felt well enough to go to school.

Thank goodness for the miracle drug, Tamiflu, which helped decrease our symptoms and the flu did not last as long as it might have without it. I am also thankful that although Rob had mild symptoms for a few days, he is already back to being well. So, while we did not end 2012 very well, the New Year started off great as on January 5th the NDSU Bison won their 2nd straight football championship!
Here is how 2012 went for us:

JANUARY 
Although last winter was pretty mild for us here in North Dakota, January still got pretty cold which kept us indoors a lot. One of Faith's favorite things to do is SKYPE with our friend Kimberly in Kansas. Kimberly used to be one of our respite care providers. In 2012 we said goodbye to another favorite respite care provider with whom we also keep in touch and see every now and then when she is in Bismarck.

Faith on SKYPE

FEBRUARY 
Faith got to take her wheels out onto the ice for the first time ever, thanks to a new organization in Bismarck called Dreams in Motion. In February she went curling and in March she played wheelchair soccer. Also in February, we celebrated mine and Rob's birthdays and Faith baked a lot of cookies with Michelle. She also took part in her 2nd grade school program in which she got to say a few lines and play some little bells for the music portion.
Faith has fun trying curling for the first time

MARCH 
Faith had fun playing wheelchair soccer right next door in her school gymnasium. There were volunteers from the University of Mary soccer team that pushed the kids around and the faster they pushed Faith the more fun she had! Mommy had some fun of her own going to Dickinson with a friend to take in a Christian concert. We also had a visit from Grandma and Grandpa who are going to be moving to Bismarck!
At the gym at Centennial Elementary for wheelchair soccer

APRIL
This month always proves to be very busy as it is the annual fundraiser, The Great American Bike Race (GABR). Once again Faith's Fantastic 12 participated in the event and as a team raised over $4,000! Faith and her dad went to their very first Butterfly Ball - a daddy-daughter dance. We also celebrated Easter with some friends but unfortunately it was too windy to fly kites. At the end of April, we had fun throwing a surprise birthday party for Faith's uncle Todd.

Rob and Faith at the Butterfly Ball

MAY 
Rob and Faith always manage to make me feel extra special on Mother's Day and this year was no different as I received flowers, cards and food so I didn't have to cook! Faith also bonded with her dad as they went fishing together for the first time as part of a school field trip. This spring we started going to New Life Church's redefinition service. We are very happy to finally find a church home. 

One of my favorite things to do with Faith is read books

JUNE
The big event finally arrived as we celebrated my parents 40th wedding anniversary here in Bismarck. We had a great time picnicking at Sertoma, the renewal of wedding vows on the Lewis and Clark Riverboat and dinner at the Bistro.
 
The whole family gets together to celebrate mom and dad's 40th anniversary
JULY
For the first time ever, we tried to go to the Fourth of July event at the Capitol building but Faith was not too thrilled since we had to listen to the orchestra first. It seemed like forever until it got dark enough to shoot off fireworks and by that time, she was ready to go home. We got to see lots of photos taken by my brother Todd and his wife, Barbara who went on a mission trip to Kenya. Also, in July we had a visit from our friend Brittnee and new license plates for our van - HEB11 1 (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith spends time with her auntie and uncle

AUGUST
We did a lot of visiting in August! Our friends Kimberly and Matt came up from Kansas and we got to celebrate the news with them about their baby due in February! Also, I had a reunion with the two roomies I lived with in college while a sophomore at NDSU. It was great to be together with Keri and Mary again! We traveled to Washburn to visit friends as well. Faith started 3rd grade at the end of the month.
Faith always likes having girl time! Here she is with Kimberly and her sister Melanie

SEPTEMBER
Rob and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary at our favorite place to eat - the East 40. We went all out and had filet mignon! Faith enjoyed going on a hayride for the first time ever!

Faith at her first hayride event

OCTOBER
Faith celebrated her 9th birthday. She discovered playing Wheel of Fortune on the PS3 which Rob and I both have fun doing with her. Faith seemed to be having trouble with fatigue and not gaining weight, so we took steps to change her diet and began half days of school on Tuesdays and Thursdays which seemed to help. I celebrated my one anniversary at work by making pumpkin muffins for those who were in my training class and who also made it one year!
 
Princess Faith celebrates her 9th birthday!

NOVEMBER
We celebrated Thanksgiving with some friends of ours who as you can tell in the picture are huge Dallas Cowboys fans. We have much to be thankful for as we have all been healthy and God has continued to provide for all of our needs.

Happy Thanksgiving!

DECEMBER
Faith had fun during her school program at school and also looked forward to her Christmas vacation from school. I had fun going to another Christian concert with a friend which was held at Evangel Assembly. We had a nice Christmas and saw some family and SKYPED with our family in Canada. Alas, another year has ended, and it will be exciting to see what God has in store for 2013!

Faith showing her holiday hat to Grandma and Grandpa





Comments

  1. Alana TerryJanuary 6, 2013 at 12:45 AM

    Hi, I found your site through Top Mommy Blogs. I keep up a special needs blog there about my son Silas. We are also a Christian family. Our son is now five. I am starting an index of special-needs blogs at http://boynamedsilas.blogspot.com/p/start-linkytools-script-srchttpwww.html. I'd really love if you wanted to add your link. I think readers could be really encouraged!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alana TerryJanuary 6, 2013 at 1:02 AM

      It looks like you've got your own list going on as well! That's awesome. If you have contact with anyone who might want to include their blog in my index as well, feel free to spread the word. Thanks!

      Delete
  2. Cari JeanJanuary 6, 2013 at 2:18 PM

    Alana - I just added my link to your blog - before reading this comment! I noticed you as a twitter follower so I checked out your blog - very inspiring! Love it! Am hoping to get your book as well. I am working on a book myself and hoping to get it published this year! Blessings to you and your family!

    ReplyDelete

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