Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Final Countdown of 2013

Here are my top ten moments of 2013!

10. Going On a Whale Watching Tour
I've always loved the ocean and the creatures that are in it. It is nice to feel tiny while in the midst of something so huge. I didn't expect to see anything when we started out. Of course, there is no guarantee you will see any whales or dolphins and there is definitely no money refund. But! We got lucky and ended up in the midst of an entire pod of dolphins.





9. Jared Becoming a Part of Our Family:
While living in California, it was hard to have a sense of family and community. We found this with Jared. He not only loves us, but he loves Landon as if he were biologically related. There were few people I was comfortable leaving Landon with while we were in California, but I was at ease when we left him with Jared. I knew Landon would be well taken care of and loved as if we were there. It just feels natural to take Jared in as another member of our family. 




8. Every Hike We Completed
When we decided to move to Toledo, we committed to go on a hike or to the beach (at least) once a week. And sometimes, we did both in one day. What a life, huh? I can't express the beauty we discovered while living on the West Coast.




7. Running The Color Run
I loved running in high school and for parts of college, but my love for it eventually faded. I don't think there was a specific reason why...I just stopped making it a priority. However, on My Bucket List I had said I wanted to run The Color Run, which is a 5k. So with a running history, I figured it wouldn't be hard and not to mention, it looked like a lot of fun. AND IT WAS! The run wasn't competitive at all. I didn't have a goal finish time, I just wanted to run and have fun with my cousin, Lexi, and that is exactly what I did.




6. Biking Along The Beach With Tyler and Landon
All my favorite things tied into one! Tyler, Landon, my bike, and the beach. It doesn't get any better than that. Experiencing the beauty of the Ocean with Tyler beside me while pulling Landon in his little bike trailer is not only one of my favorite moments of 2013, but easily one of my favorite life moments. 





5. Moving To Ohio
It's  funny though, because if you would have told us in May 2012 that we would be moving back to Ohio only after a year of living in California, we would have laughed and said, "There is no way we are moving back to Ohio." But...here we are, and this life is beautiful. Beaches, mountains, and warm weather are no comparison to living closer to family. This doesn't mean there are not days where I don't miss our life in Cali...it was so easy (and so warm), but Tyler and I are so happy and content with where we are in our lives and moving back was one of the greatest decisions we have made. 





4. Becoming Members of A Methodist Church 
Another funny thing. If someone would have told Tyler a year ago he would have been part of a United Methodist ministry team, he would have denied it all day. But, here we are. He is the pastor at a church that is located literally in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farm land. It has been nothing but a blessing to become a part of this church family. It reminds me a lot of my old church family in Blacksville, WV. The people are so gracious, kind, open minded, giving, and so sweet. They have taken us in like we have been there our whole lives. And not only do I get to spend every Sunday with a great group of people, I get to watch my husband teach. This is what he loves doing and call me biased, but he is amazing at what he does. I have learned more from him in the few years he has been preaching, than I have learned my whole life. 





3. Landon saying, "Mama" For The First Time
If you spend just a few minutes around our family, you will quickly realize that Landon is 100% a mama's boy. Not to say he doesn't love Tyler just as much as he loves me, but seriously, he wants to be around me every second of every day. And of course...I don't mind (with the exception of needing a break every now and then). His first word was, "Mama" and I'm sure people will say, "That's because its the easiest syllable for him to say." And that may be true, but he knew what the word, "Mama" meant the minute he started saying it. I could go on and on and on about how much I love Landon and the incredible bond the two of us have, but you can find that in just about every other post I have ever written. Landon is simply...incredible. 


2. Landon Turning One!
It is hard for me to believe I have a one year old. It is amazing what he has learned and the person he has developed into in just one year! I'm not one to brag, but he is darn smart! 
     He knows titles of books. For example, when he sees, Pete The Cat he says, "Pop" and when he sees, Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? he says two words that sound like, "brown bear brown bear."
     He can do "more," "eat," and "all done" in sign language.
     He knows the meaning of the word, "hot."
     He actually listens and comprehends really well.
I could go on and on, but I'll spare you ;-)




1. Getting To Go Through Another Year With Tyler
Call it cliche, but it's the truth. This man is truly the best thing in my life. It has been a crazy year, from moving across the country, loosing our things to a moving company for two months, taking on a church, and raising a baby, but he has been the most encouraging and loving man. I can't express how thankful and blessed I am to have married him.




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