A little Grace, a year in review...

I have been catching up on my blog reading and I have found

so many wonderful posts reflecting on the coming year,
setting new goals and challenges.

I have been contemplating so many similar things myself.

I cannot lie, 2011 was not what I expected. Since Jan our family
has been in a constant whirlwind of changes and I truly thought that
it would throw my kids into a tailspinbut on the contrary, they have
adjsuted beautifully proving once again that God is soveriegn.

We made two major moves - first from CO to TX (change) six months
 later from corperate housing to our new home.(change) Our kids
changed schools three times! (change, change, change) Our little ones
have special needs and anyone who is familiar with special needs
knows that change is especially difficult! It is amazing how each move has been
 very smooth when these transitions happened; we have
been blessed with great teachers, principals and specialists.

In addition to physical moves:
While we were trying to settle in here in TX
 our oldest was still away in NV, her first year of college
Her car was totalled by a drunk driver,
I thank God that she and her friends were not in it at the time!

Our oldest son had stayed in CO to finish High school early and moved

back with us in March. (change) We are grateful for God's timing as

we went back to CO for his graduation in May when got the

phone call that our oldest daughter was being admitted to the hospital for seizures.

We were able to bring her home with us from college.(change)

She has had a rough year but is doing well now.

We praise God for healing - she was having tremors, small seizures or episodes.

She never had anything like this before.
After months of tests, they have ruled out many potentially serious

illness' and conditions. We do not have answers as to what it was,

we praise God that it seems to have stopped.

She is staying home and is going to college locally.

Most recently my mother has come to live in TX. (change)

 There have been a few health problems

with mom that were not being addressed before that we are addressing now.

I am learning that it is alot easier to work with children than it is with adults,

especially when it comes to their health!

She has been here since Oct, we are making s-l-o-w progress.

But hey, progress is progress!

We are members of a new church (change) and plugged in,

thank you God for new supportive friends!

We continue to be blessed with phonecalls and prayers

from supportive old friends.

(I am tempted to say "back home" but this is our home now)

You know who you are, thank you.

Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Charles Swindoll...

“I cannot even imagine where I would be today were

 it not for that handful of friends who have given me

a heart full of joy."

I have to believe that with all these changes and 

hardships this year it could have

easily driven my kids crazy (not to mention me!)
and we would be out of control.

It has been stressful, sometimes it felt like

more than we could bear but God has given us grace,

extravagant grace in each circumstance and that has not been the case.

Which also reminds me of a lesson my hubby recently

taught the youth (did I mention we are also the

 new youth pastors at our church?)(change) using this scripture...

I Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
 And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted
beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted,
 He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

In all of this I continue to thank God fo this hobby that has

brought extra income when we've needed it, friends,

an outlet for my sanity and joy - remembering to celebrate &

document the little things. Grace is a good thing and I am grateful!

 Change is inevitable but I am looking forward to calmer changes in the new year.

Settling down looks really good to me right now!

I am still contemplating new goals and challenges for the new year.

I have already started either revamping or dropping things that were not
working for me in 2011 and am concentrating on things that are more
 effective and full filling for me and my family in the new year.

I wish you peace, joy and love in the new year

And grace if you need it (I hope you don't need it.).

Oh...

And details on my banner? You can read about it here...

http://designmemorycraft.typepad.com/design-memory-craft/2011/12/gelato-technique.html

                                                  (If it has not posted check back later!)

supplies:

Clear Scraps banner, Faber- Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos,

Spellbinders Die, Thickers, ZVA flowers.

stringed pearls & tulle