2009 High/Low

Oh 2009, you were most definitely an interesting year.  I'm glad to wave good bye to you and say hello to 2010. 

• High: Chad was finally able to gain decent control over his Type 1 diabetes.  He's much more healthy and better able to take care of himself
• Low: Critical low blood sugars.  We'll always have to deal with them, but it's nice that they are few and far between
• High: Finally learning to coupon successfully.  I'm ashamed to admit that I've tried this so many different times and failed miserably.  But now I can do it with a small margin of savings.  
• Low: The amount of money I wasted before couponing and paying attention to the cost of things.  Sigh.
• High: Watching Clayton change from a baby into a boy.  How does that happen in 365 days?
• Low: Knowing I'll never have these days back with Clayton.  Time is passing so quickly and I don't want to miss a thing.
• High: Seeing Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho from the front seat of a Nissan Quest.  That trip was so much fun.  I hope to be able to do it again one day.
• Low: Driving in endless amounts of road construction in Yellowstone in a Nissan Quest and being severely out numbered in the boy to girl ratio.  If it wasn't for Amy I would lost all of my marbles.
• High: Learning how much people care about our family and want to see us thrive.
• Low: Unfortunately we had to hurt to learn all of these things.
• High: Positive pregnancy test
• Low: Positive for Full Trisomy 18
• High: Johanna
• Low: There is no low for this one, only a high.

2009 was hands down the hardest year of my life.  I obviously don't know what the Lord has in store for our future.  I know He has great plans for me.  I have learned a lot this year.  And even though I have had to hurt to learn all of these lessons I can say that it's all been worth it.  I don't know why God chose Johanna and T18 for our family, but He did.  I'm glad I didn't know this was coming on 12/31/08.  But I'm glad I'm going through it on 12/31/09.  It's crazy how different things are in the span of a year.  It's crazy to think how different I am now.  The goofy silly girl is gone(maybe not completely).  I feel like I've aged 15 years during this past year.  And that's OK.  It's the experiences of our life that make us who we are.  It's the things that God gives us that shape our character.  And with each passing year, I'm one year and day closer to my eternal home.

So bring it on 2010.  Let's see what you have to offer.  I'm sure there's a lot of pain, but I'm sure there will be more joy.  I expect some tears, but I expect more laughter.  I'm sure to see some hurt, but there will be more healing.  There will be disappointments, but there will be excessive triumphs.  It's gonna be a great year.