But I think I have time to write about our year using the bullet points he suggests, so here goes:
Where did I/we travel?
We took the kids on their first plane trip early in the year, back to SC to visit family, including my globe-trotting sister, Erica. Then in September, we drove down to Edisto Island, one of our favorite places on earth, for vacation. Both were great visits.
What were the most important sermons I heard this year?
Perhaps it would be a good idea to write down influential sermons/talks. But I didn't this year.
What books/articles did I write?
Ahem.
What significant household projects did we accomplish in 2011?
Well, we...that is, I...that is...um.....
What were the most important meetings of the year?
We obviously are not important enough to have "meetings," unless you count those great meetings Dave has had at work, in which his work ethic and effectiveness at his new job has been noted.
What special friendships were made this year?
Oh, I love this one, because we have in fact made some special friendships. We met some great people at the first church we attended here, and although we don't go there anymore, we still keep in touch with some of those people. In particular, I've made a great friend in Christen, who shares my affinity for gentle parenting and natural (ish) living (which I think she probably does better than I do). We even made our own deodorant together once, and I think that's a pretty bonding experience! And in fact, when she had to go back to work, I began keeping her darling baby, who is welcomed into the happy (hopefully) chaos of our home two days a week. Hers is a friendship I certainly cherish. Also, La Leche League never fails to deliver kindred spirits, and the kids and I have made some connections with friends there. And in our newer church, we are slowly but surely making connections there.
Which children lost teeth, and how many?
Aimee lost her last baby tooth this year, which does make me a bit sentimental. Drew didn't loose any baby teeth, but he did run into a wall - really - and break off half a front permanent tooth the day after Christmas. This was distressing to me, but both Drew and his father shrugged it off. Drew even told me it wasn't "the end of the world." Still, we're thankful for modern dentistry! Just a few days before that, Ryan lost his second baby tooth, his first in the usual way (the very first, to the dismay of my mother heart, he knocked out when he was a baby). And of course, Scarlett gained quite a few teeth this year - eight total (and pretty much all at once, which made for some pretty fun times).
Who grew in physical stature, and how much did they grow?
Well, they grew, I know that. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I didn't keep track. But I know that Aimee achieved 5 feet, Drew's ankles began to peep out of his pant legs toward the end of the year, and Chase closed the gap between himself and Ryan, further fueling those "Are they twins?" questions. And Scarlett reached 30 inches, putting herself into the 10th percentile, which was quite an achievement for her. She's still a little miss, but her short stature no longer poses any questions about her health, as all tests revealed complete health and wholeness.
Who learned to read this year?
Ryan did, in fact!
What diet and physical exercise regimen did I maintain to honor “my temple”?
I did the Couch to 5k training program earlier this year, and found it invigorating and rewarding! Then I drifted back to the "couch," as it were, so at the end of the year, I resolved to do it again, which process began this week. Also, as I've explained, I went almost completely dairy free at the beginning of the year, and continue that voluntarily. I've really never been healthier.
What books did I read? Did we read as a family? Did my children read?
Somewhere, I've kept a record of this. Probably in more than one place, actually. I'm not about to dig all that out and try to consolidate it for the purpose of this post. Suffice it to say that we did a lot of reading. The one thing that all four advanced readers in the house read was the Underland Chronicles, and it was interesting to have discussions about it around the dinner table.
What Scriptures did my family memorize?
As a family, we dove into select chapters of Hebrews and 1 Peter, since that's what the older kids are doing in Bible quizzing this year. The kids also picked up numerous verses from church.
What loved ones died this year?
What a sad thing to remember! I wish I could say no one, but in fact Dave's cousin took his own life in February. It was shocking and heartbreaking, and I certainly hope 2012 holds nothing anything like it.
Moving along (and skipping a few points, or I'll never get done with this!)...
What are the top ten themes of 2010 for my family?
Ten! How about one? I've posted about how Scarlett's birth (albeit in 2010) was one that helped us choose faith over fear, and the whole of 2011 really was about that for - faith over fear. The year began with questions about Scarlett's health and future, and we found great comfort in choosing faith in that situation...and then great joy in discovering that she was perfectly healthy after all. Then the situation with our house in SC didn't go as planned, and spiralled downward until it went into foreclosure. That obviously wasn't supposed to happen! We still don't understand the plan there, and we certainly wish things we going down a much different path...but we still choose faith in God's providence over fear. In that, as well as in other situations this year, we don't claim to have achieved a perfect attitude of faith, but it's something that has grown our family by leaps and bounds this past year. May it continue to do so in this new year...but may God also have mercy in his teaching methods!
Happy New Year, everyone!
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