2012 Year in Review

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. 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 - and such a wonderful one at that!

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 missions 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 spend 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 went on her first hayride out at some friends house from church.

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