As 2010 comes to a close, I'm reflecting on this past year and how much our lives have changed in just a few months. Billy and I have gone through some very drastic changes, and we've definitely hit a lot of bumps along the way. We've been talking about "the curse of 2010" and how ready we are to move on to a new year with new beginnings.
It's so easy for me to remember the negative things, because usually they tend to change our lives in ways we're not ready for. Our dog, Spot, died back in April. Although this wasn't totally unexpected, we both felt a huge loss from her death. She was such a sweet dog, and she had been through a lot. The day she died was so traumatic for both of us, and after we buried her in the back yard, we went our separate ways (Billy to work, me off to school in Nelson County with my 6th graders). I was so upset by her death, and I think the anxiety got to me, so I started having heart palpitations. Having those on top of being pregnant wasn't the best combination, so I ended up in the ER, although thankfully after 6 hours of tests and sitting there things checked out just fine.
In August, we went through the whole mess with Ellie's birth, although thankfully, both Ellie and I are completely healthy today. Immediately after her birth, Billy got laid off from his job at LifeWay, which was totally unexpected for both of us. We always saw his job as very secure, and even though it wasn't much of an income, it was what supported us for 3 years of marriage. It was definitely one of those moments where we both thought, "Oh crap, what now?" God blessed us with providing a job for Billy at Apple Ford, although he knew it wasn't what he wanted to do long-term. Since November, we've been trying to make decisions about the future and planning on what the next step for our family was. Miraculously, an opportunity came up that Billy was really hoping and praying for at the AMT program at Liberty, which he will be starting on Monday.
The final straw for 2010 happened this week. Billy's dad passed away. It's been a very long and difficult week for everyone, and we're trying to get through so much right now that it's been very trying. Billy has been so strong for his family in all of this, and I'm trying to be strong for him, but it's hard. We are so ready to leave 2010 in the past and move on.
There were obviously many blessings for us this year, as well. The surprise of being pregnant and having Ellie definitely top our list. She changed our lives forever and we are so amazed at how God has used her in our family. Billy also discovered what he wants to do with his life, and will actually start working toward that goal in a few days. God came through with the financial questions we had for this upcoming year and I know he will provide for us above and beyond what we can understand.
I have no idea what the future holds, but I do know that God has a purpose and a plan for us, and He is really teaching us about His character and what it means to be a follower of Him. We are so blessed, and we hope that everyone has a wonderful 2011!
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