The Blessings of 2018
My heart is full as I reflect on God’s grace and
goodness throughout 2018. And since I haven't written a-year-in-review-blog-post for many years, I'm absolutely loving going through pictures and memories from this year.
From our daily adventures living in Germany, to celebrating 19 year of marriage to my very best friend, our 5 healthy children, over a decade of homeschooling, family and friends near and far, trials that drew us closer to Jesus, lessons learned, fears overcome by faith, prayers answered, resting in the Gospel, God's Word seen afresh in this new season of life, and for the opportunities we’ve had to travel on this side of the globe – I’m so very thankful!
As I prayerfully chose a word to focus on for 2018, "enjoy," kept bubbling up in my heart. I’m a planner, goal setter, and in a very full season of life, which lends to sometimes forgetting to enjoy the journey. To enjoy my relationship with the Lord, to enjoy lingering over HIS written Word, to enjoy flirting with my handsome husband, to enjoy playing games with my children, to enjoy chopping up veggies for an extra special dinner, to enjoy rest, and to enjoy the moment-by-moment gifts from my loving Heavenly Father. The good and the hard gifts. And, as we rung in 2018, I was still weak and recovering from complications after Cora's birth. That in an of itself gave me a new appreciation for my heath and the daily rhythms of life. I longed to enjoy, savor, and celebrate each day in a deeper way. Enjoy was my word and it was perfect!
January - Our first full year living back in Germany, started with celebrating our Hero's birthday and a trip to the Black Forest, where we staying in a cozy cabin, nestled into the side of a cliff. The air was crisp and clean and the trees the color of charcoal. We enjoyed hiking to the highest waterfall in Germany, and visiting the world's largest cuckoo-clock, eating Black Forest Cake, and playing card games late into the night. It was also 3 month old Cora's first travel experience and she was pure joy; riding peacefully in her car seat and taking naps in her front pack.
I completed another Whole 30, mostly while my Hero was traveling. Real food is always one of the best ways to start off s new year and makes me feel so good. Not to mention that it's delicious!
Most homesschool days were spent with Cora on the kitchen table, sleeping soundly as we learned. 9th, 6th, 4th grades, and preschool.
We also finally got our bright and clean guest room ready for our first overnight guests of 2018!
March also began our spring-birthday-celebrations. Alisa turned 12, with a trip to our old hometown in Bavaria, Germany!
The sweet, sweet, sweetest friends enjoying a hockey game!
Mr. Joshua absolutely loved the Llama Llama books and we celebrated one night with a special cake, dinner, book reading, and TV show watching of the Llama Llama adventures.
We drove south, to Northern Italy (as we did when we lived in Europe 4 years ago), to be with dear friends to celebrate Easter... He is RISEN!
May - We celebrated Savannah's 15th birthday with a sports theme party! And, it appears from the picture above that these two sisters, 15-years-apart, make the same facial expressions.
And Mother's Day this year took the cake as we publicly dedicated Cora to the Lord.
"Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him." ~ Psalm 127:3
Joshua's face says it all as we celebrated his 5th birthday!
June - Summer kicked off with days spent laughing with friends, quiet-in-pajamas-pancake mornings, swimming, Savannah going to Bible Camp in Scotland, celebrating our Hero on Father's Day, and an epic Daddy/Daughters date to hear "For King & Country" during their European tour.
August - As the summer drew to a close we went on a family trip to the German Alps, Northern Italy, Rome, Italy, Pisa, and more. Then we celebrated Levi's 10th birthday (in Milan and with friends here in Germany), and then my 40th birthday!! Then it was Back-To-School again! 10th, 7th, 5th, & Kindergarten!
September - This month we enjoyed a new homeschool routine and had our first back-to-school field trip to a corn maze!
October - We celebrated our littlest pumpkins 1st birthday and Papa and Nana visited from Minnesota (such a special, special time with the BEST grandparents)! The perfect first birthday!!!
We started a new tradition while daddy was traveling: Reading the Pumpkin Patch Parable, picking out our own unique pumpkins, and carving them! Gooey, messy fun!
One of my favorite hours of every day are our evening family walks. Especially in the fall, the sunsets in the countryside are breathtaking. I took my camera along one day to capture the treasures...
We don't celebrate Halloween, but the kids look forward to "Prescott Family Fall Fun Night", every October 31st. This year Joshua chose the theme; The Incredibles. We played games, ate way to much candy, made homemade pizza, dawned our masks, and watched Incredibles 2.
Dear friends invited us to a special Thanksgiving meal, my Hero played quarterback in a Turkey Bowl, and my cute-Kindergarten-turkey made the most adorable crafts while the big kids poured over math problems and literature.
December - Advent and all the celebrations leading up to Jesus birthday, are my favorite!
As with every month though, there were challenges. Most I would never take picture of. However, we had a doozy of a week while our Hero was traveling for work: Sunday, our dryer started on fire and died (I have a new appreciation for laundry mats). Monday, our minivan battery died, needed to be replaced, and I came down with a stomach virus. Tuesday, a few of the kids came down with the same nasty virus. The end of the week I ended up in the emergency room. Long story. I'm fine now. Two other kiddoes were hit with cold/fever viruses and our fixed-dryer died again. Minor problems, but exhausting.
When I look at these pictures though, I remember that I truly enjoyed December; decorating, glowing lights, warm fires, holiday treats, German Christmas markets, romantic dates with my Hero, one-on-one dates with my children to shop for their siblings, hosting parties in our home, thoughtful notes and cards from friends and family around the globe, Savannah attending her first formal event, church services, Christmas Eve & Day traditions, our Hero reading Luke 2, snowman wrapping paper all over the floor, grateful hearts, and the very center, Jesus.
From our daily adventures living in Germany, to celebrating 19 year of marriage to my very best friend, our 5 healthy children, over a decade of homeschooling, family and friends near and far, trials that drew us closer to Jesus, lessons learned, fears overcome by faith, prayers answered, resting in the Gospel, God's Word seen afresh in this new season of life, and for the opportunities we’ve had to travel on this side of the globe – I’m so very thankful!
As I prayerfully chose a word to focus on for 2018, "enjoy," kept bubbling up in my heart. I’m a planner, goal setter, and in a very full season of life, which lends to sometimes forgetting to enjoy the journey. To enjoy my relationship with the Lord, to enjoy lingering over HIS written Word, to enjoy flirting with my handsome husband, to enjoy playing games with my children, to enjoy chopping up veggies for an extra special dinner, to enjoy rest, and to enjoy the moment-by-moment gifts from my loving Heavenly Father. The good and the hard gifts. And, as we rung in 2018, I was still weak and recovering from complications after Cora's birth. That in an of itself gave me a new appreciation for my heath and the daily rhythms of life. I longed to enjoy, savor, and celebrate each day in a deeper way. Enjoy was my word and it was perfect!
January - Our first full year living back in Germany, started with celebrating our Hero's birthday and a trip to the Black Forest, where we staying in a cozy cabin, nestled into the side of a cliff. The air was crisp and clean and the trees the color of charcoal. We enjoyed hiking to the highest waterfall in Germany, and visiting the world's largest cuckoo-clock, eating Black Forest Cake, and playing card games late into the night. It was also 3 month old Cora's first travel experience and she was pure joy; riding peacefully in her car seat and taking naps in her front pack.
February - We finally got enough snow to go sledding and build a snowman in our backyard.
Valentines Day, we continued our tradition of plastering our house with affirming and encouraging paper hearts for each of our family members. The greatest of these is LOVE and oh how I love my crew!
I completed another Whole 30, mostly while my Hero was traveling. Real food is always one of the best ways to start off s new year and makes me feel so good. Not to mention that it's delicious!
Most homesschool days were spent with Cora on the kitchen table, sleeping soundly as we learned. 9th, 6th, 4th grades, and preschool.
We also finally got our bright and clean guest room ready for our first overnight guests of 2018!
March - Our first guests of 2018 were Julia (for her senior trip) and her beautiful mommy Jennifer, who is one of my best friends and mentors (as a godly woman, wife, mommy, and homeschool mother). The Goetzman family is truly like family to us! What a blessing to have them step into our life in Germany, to fill us up with their kindness, and to remind us of God's incredible love through friendships.
March also began our spring-birthday-celebrations. Alisa turned 12, with a trip to our old hometown in Bavaria, Germany!
The sweet, sweet, sweetest friends enjoying a hockey game!
Mr. Joshua absolutely loved the Llama Llama books and we celebrated one night with a special cake, dinner, book reading, and TV show watching of the Llama Llama adventures.
April - Baseball season kicked off for these two all-stars! I love watching my boys on the field!
One of Alisa's best friends, Ellie, flew across the big blue ocean to spend a week of adventures together. A 24/7 slumber party!
This little sweetie loved hanging out in her big sisters bedroom and playing Alisa's guitar.
May - We celebrated Savannah's 15th birthday with a sports theme party! And, it appears from the picture above that these two sisters, 15-years-apart, make the same facial expressions.
Our family was blessed to celebrate Levi's decision to follow Jesus in baptism! I'm so thankful for my boy's passion to read God's Word and to serve the Lord faithfully... Buried with Christ, raised to walk in newness of life. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." - John 3:16
The 3 big kids performed at our homeschool "Night of the Arts." Lots of happy mommy tears and a very proud daddy!
And Mother's Day this year took the cake as we publicly dedicated Cora to the Lord.
"Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him." ~ Psalm 127:3
Joshua's face says it all as we celebrated his 5th birthday!
June - Summer kicked off with days spent laughing with friends, quiet-in-pajamas-pancake mornings, swimming, Savannah going to Bible Camp in Scotland, celebrating our Hero on Father's Day, and an epic Daddy/Daughters date to hear "For King & Country" during their European tour.
July - God Bless America, from Europe! We had the best Independence Day celebration with friends, made a trip to Lego Land Deutschland later in the month, and were blessed to have the Rendell family visit from the states!
August - As the summer drew to a close we went on a family trip to the German Alps, Northern Italy, Rome, Italy, Pisa, and more. Then we celebrated Levi's 10th birthday (in Milan and with friends here in Germany), and then my 40th birthday!! Then it was Back-To-School again! 10th, 7th, 5th, & Kindergarten!
September - This month we enjoyed a new homeschool routine and had our first back-to-school field trip to a corn maze!
October - We celebrated our littlest pumpkins 1st birthday and Papa and Nana visited from Minnesota (such a special, special time with the BEST grandparents)! The perfect first birthday!!!
We enjoyed more fall field trips and apple picking with friends!
We started a new tradition while daddy was traveling: Reading the Pumpkin Patch Parable, picking out our own unique pumpkins, and carving them! Gooey, messy fun!
One of my favorite hours of every day are our evening family walks. Especially in the fall, the sunsets in the countryside are breathtaking. I took my camera along one day to capture the treasures...
We don't celebrate Halloween, but the kids look forward to "Prescott Family Fall Fun Night", every October 31st. This year Joshua chose the theme; The Incredibles. We played games, ate way to much candy, made homemade pizza, dawned our masks, and watched Incredibles 2.
November - We were blessed to have our dear friends, Dave & Cindy, visit from Florida, and then enjoyed celebrating many other special events with friends throughout the month. It was glorious!
One of my favorite traditions every November, is our "Thankful Basket." I fill up a wicker basket with pens and paper and we each write down what we are thankful for during the month. Then on Thanksgiving Day, we take turns reading our thankful words.
To celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary, we spent another weekend in Garmish! Family memoires that I will forever cherish. Stunning mountain views, a wintery adventure as we traveled to the Zurgspitz, my precious people exploring more of our Father's creation, and long talks with my Hero. I'm so honored to be his wife!
Dear friends invited us to a special Thanksgiving meal, my Hero played quarterback in a Turkey Bowl, and my cute-Kindergarten-turkey made the most adorable crafts while the big kids poured over math problems and literature.
As with every month though, there were challenges. Most I would never take picture of. However, we had a doozy of a week while our Hero was traveling for work: Sunday, our dryer started on fire and died (I have a new appreciation for laundry mats). Monday, our minivan battery died, needed to be replaced, and I came down with a stomach virus. Tuesday, a few of the kids came down with the same nasty virus. The end of the week I ended up in the emergency room. Long story. I'm fine now. Two other kiddoes were hit with cold/fever viruses and our fixed-dryer died again. Minor problems, but exhausting.
When I look at these pictures though, I remember that I truly enjoyed December; decorating, glowing lights, warm fires, holiday treats, German Christmas markets, romantic dates with my Hero, one-on-one dates with my children to shop for their siblings, hosting parties in our home, thoughtful notes and cards from friends and family around the globe, Savannah attending her first formal event, church services, Christmas Eve & Day traditions, our Hero reading Luke 2, snowman wrapping paper all over the floor, grateful hearts, and the very center, Jesus.
And 2018 is sealed with kiss.
Lovely reflections! Some of those spring events feel like they were just a few weeks ago!
ReplyDeleteThey really do feel like yesterday!
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