Another one bites the dust

Another year has come and gone and it feels like yesterday we were ringing in 2009. Now, here we are getting ready to wrap up another year and welcome 2010!!

It's been a wonderful year for us! We have been incredibly blessed to watch Ava grow and learn. She is such a joy to observe! She picks up on things so fast she always seems to amaze us. She's gone from rolling around/scoothing back in January/February to crawing/pulling herself up in March/April. In June, she took her first steps at just 6 months old! It was a great Father's day!! Shortly after learning to walk, it didn't take long for her to start running and climbing. Barriars no longer worked, since she learned how to climb over them. She loves to talk and tickle us. She has an appitite better than mine. She will eat anything and everything. Her latest enjoyment is pastrami! She's learned that if Daddy feeds her breakfast she usually gets gold fish or cookies, whereas if Mommy were to feed her breakfast she will most likely get eggs or oatmeal. So, she's learned to ask for "dada" to feed her! She's learned to tell us when she's done with something and to communicate with "yes" and "no no, mama".
She is growing so fast I feel like I'm missing all of it, when in reality I've been here to whole time.

I'm blessed everyday by God's many provisions for our family on a single income allowing me to stay home and be with Ava everyday. We have so much fun together just learning about life. Sometimes, I feel I'm learning just as much as Ava. We laugh often, yell at times, and yes, there are, on occasion, some tears shed from both our eyes. But at the end of the day when she kisses me goodnight and lays her head on my shoulder the bad days float away and I go to bed eagerly anticipating the morning.

Toby has been blessed at work to get on with a special projects team which has allowed him to have endless overtime opportunities which has been a HUGH blessing. He's been given the opportunity to travel and meet so many new people which has opened up a number of doors for him in his career. He loves coming home to his girls and we love having him home as well at the end of a busy day!

God has blessed us in so many ways this year that we are eager and excited to see where He leads our family in 2010!