A Review of my 'Year in Review'

One last post of 2009...

Each year I create a scrapbook of the past 12 months. A few years ago I converted from the traditional hand-made scrapbooks to Shutterfly digital ones. I love the convenience of them but more than that, the ability to replace them if lost as well as the ability to order an extra for my mom (or for Matt when he left for Iraq).

The next few paragraphs are comments I put on the last page of the 2009 Year in Review, comparing '08 and '09. Below that are some additional thoughts on this past year.

Last night I flipped through my 2008 Year in Review scrapbook and noticed quite a difference in those photos and the ones I took this year. It seems I had a lot more time in '08 to look around me and take pictures of things I simply found beautiful. Random things, inanimate objects. I had that time because my favorite person in the world was half a world away. He was proudly serving our Country in Operation Iraqi Freedom while I stayed behind raising our boys and tending to the proverbial home fires. That scrapbook is one I am very proud of and some of the images are soon to be framed and placed in my home as many of them are really quite beautiful. This year's pictures, however, have a much different feel. They are almost utilitarian. I took pictures of our reunited family doing things together, being together. My focus during the past year has been more on the time I had with my family and simply documenting our adventures. This scrapbook is much longer than last year's, by 20 pages! There are more images per page in this one. But it's not as fancy. So, how do I feel about that? Just fine. I can honestly say that our family has relished being together again and has taken many opportunities to "get out and do." My camera was with us almost everywhere, but it was not at my eye as often. When it was at my eye I was doing my best to save memories for later viewing and not nearly as focused on the quality of the image that would later be viewed. So, what about 2010? How do I want to see my next "Year in Review" after a full year in Germany? I want both. I want to increase my skill level to be able to document fully our adventurous year which will include learning a new language, adapting to a new culture, and adding a new member to our family. At the same time I want to see those moments of beauty around me and skillfully capture it for future appreciation. As far as New Year's Resolutions go, that's mine.

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As I was getting ready this morning, Matt was at the Vehicle Registration office officially becoming a car owner again. We are getting this car THE DAY we had to return the car we've been borrowing for over a week. Also, the same day we have (tentative) plans to go to Ramstein to visit friends in from the states. (I say tentative, because the trip hinged on whether or not we got this car.) Tomorrow we have plans, again, hinging on whether or not we got this car, to go visit my close friend, Stephanie, in Stuttgart.

My thoughts turned to the way God has ordained the events of this entire year, from Matt's return from Iraq to the timing of adding to our family. I was able to enjoy Disney World during the most comfortable trimester and before developing Gestational diabetes. Every doctor's visit I've needed to make has been made possible by the generosity of others: either by loaning us a car or by new friends who were strangers to us 30 days ago taking me. I feel hugely blessed by how He has just worked everything out and made straight our paths.

I could write more giving you more proof of His love for us, but Matt's on his way home right now in our new car. We have a little more packing to do as we're going to live in the lap of luxury for one night. The Air Force has an AMAZING hotel in a town called, "Little America." We're going to stay there tonight before going to visit the Bailey's tomorrow.

We pray God places his hand on your lives as He has ours. We also pray His blessings continue in the next year as we excitedly welcome new adventure and a new baby!

With Love From the Hamricks