Recap of 2013

Recap of 2013

Yes, it's February of 2014 but I was kind of busy bringing a person into the world in December. Better late than never, right?

Oh, 2013 what a year full of ups and downs.  Honestly, the start of a new year in Oregon can be kind of dreary. This lasts for quite sometime with no signs of letting up.  2013 was our first winter/spring in Oregon. If I said it was easy then I would be lying. 

We were trying our first attempt at homeschool/charter school with Isaac and Mallory. Zoe was walking and in to everything. Then we unexpectedly found out we were expecting.  Whew!

Deciding to stay at home and homeschool wasn't easy. One income is hard. One income and 4 kids.....harder. One income, 4 kids, new state/part of the country, homeschooling, toddlers, infants.....It was all overwhelming in my mind. 

Then right before summer officially started Isaac officially became a teenager!!  Erik and I came to grips with the fact that we are old and we will have a teenager and a newborn. Mind. blown.

Mallory also turned 8 and then in October Zoe turned 2!! She hit the terrible twos with full force and hasn't let up yet. 

To close the year Levi Kohen Emanuel came into the world. He is beautiful. 

I prayed through all of 2013 that God would provide Erik a job in Eugene. Since we have lived here he has worked out of town. After experiencing the dreariness of winter and spring and realizing that I was about to homeschool a teenager, an eight year-old, have a two year-old, and an infant, I knew I needed him to be closer to home. 

I am impatient. I prayed this prayer for over a year with nothing. I prayed that if God led us here that he wouldn't leave me here to drown in the day to day without Erik's help. Nothing. 

I became discouraged. I questioned. I gave up. I thought I needed Erik here in Eugene before Levi was born. It didn't happen. What was going to happen? What were we going to do?

Dramatic. I know. 

You know what happened? We survived. I gave birth in a foreign land (Eugene is pretty much like a different country compared to what I knew growing up in the South :). We had great help from my sister-in-law and brother and many meals brought from our church. 

Then just when I knew Erik would never be in Eugene everyday and I just needed to put on my big girl undies and get on with life, it happened!  He got a job offer here in Eugene and medical insurance!! Hallelujah!!  

I am too impatient. I worry. I give up. But God never gives up on us. He knew WHEN we needed this job. He heard my prayers which included insurance. 

Did it all happen when I thought it should?

 No. 

Did it happen when it needed to? 

Yes. 

Will we be millionaires who can take our children for vacations around the world or heck, who am I kidding, even just a trip to Disneyland?

No.

Are we learning to be patient?

Yes. 

Is it easy?

&$@@ NO!!!

Are we growing?

I sure hope so. 

Is it painful?

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Does a job complete our lives? No, but it is an answer to prayer. I feel like God is constantly telling me to be still and wait. Waiting is hard and listening is harder. 

What will 2014 bring?  Who knows?  We made it for a year, across the country from what was familiar, and we brought a new life into the world in 2013. 

In 2014 we will celebrate 15 years of marriage (and only like the first 15 were hard :)!! I don't know what else 2014 has in store but I am pretty sure it can't get much better than that!!!