A difficult year 2011

As I look back on 2011, I realize how stressful this year has been.  However, there have been many things for which we give thanks.

Beginning the year we knew we would be celebrating the birth of a new baby.  At that  time we had no idea we would welcome two new babies into our family.  I continued to over see the day to day operations of the used car lot, salvage yard and the trucking business along with my rentals the entire year while chasing Makenna daily while we were at the shop.

Neil and Stephanie shared with us in April they were doing a home study to begin the process of adoption.  We were all excited about adding "Hudson" to our family but that was  not God's plan.  We all grieved over that but God, in all His goodness, opened other doors and John Miles became a part of  our family on November 4.  Now we have a little brown eyed boy from Russia that looks just like Neil and melts our hearts.   Archer Brent made his appearance into the world on May 2.  We welcomed that precious baby boy into our family.  The great joy was short lived as we also experienced great loss in May.  Stephen was killed in a horrible car wreck on May 17.  Makenna had lost her daddy and it is hard to explain to a 2 year old what happened.  That foundation had been laid from the beginning as we taught her about Jesus.  She understood her daddy was in heaven with Jesus and that was all she needed to know.  She began to accept that her daddy was not here and soon began telling everyone her daddy was in heaven with Jesus.  Oh how precious to see the faith of a child in action. 

Often times we do not understand why things happen and that was the case with Annacarmie and her job which was not funded after June 1.  At that time, we had no idea what was ahead.  On Sept 14, I knew exactly why she did not have a job anymore.  God knew I had to have her to run the businesses while I was in Memphis for 7 weeks with Mother after she suffered an aneurysm thus requiring two brain surgeries.  We did not know at that time if Mother would even live or not.  Praise God she did and is making progress daily in therapy.  October 24 we moved her to Baldwyn for intensive therapy.  That is 15 minutes from home. Where she was happened to be 1 1/2 hours from home and the daily trips  were wearing on all of us.  At the time I was not sure if I was making the right decision in moving her.  Within days I knew the decision was right.  She remains in therapy at this time but we are hoping to have her back home on January 18.  When she returns home, home health therapists will come three times a week to continue working with her on her rehabilitation process.  

This year has been a very hard year with many duties and responsibilities I did not want to undertake.  Yes, I even told God that!  My comfort is not His plan for me, making me more like Him is His plan for me.  Yes, our lives have been interrupted, but God is in control of those interruptions. 

As I see the end of 2011 come to an end, I am anxious to see what God has in store for 2012.  Lord, can I have a little less eventful year this year?  Whatever your plan Lord,  continue to guide me along your path.