Happy New Year!

2009 held many exciting things for our family. We spent the year in our new home filling it with memories and adventures, and I have a hard time believing the whole thing has come and gone. When I think back over the year I am overwhelmed with how much our family has grown, how much we have been able to accomplish, and just how much we have been blessed. This past year we have added a second car, tons of fish, and a dog to the Swilor house. We were able to visit family all over the country and be visited by a lot of family too. We made the decision to get out of the military, and then with the help of a lot of prayers and a lot of fasting made the decision to stay in, at least for now. Our sweet little Kendall started Kindergarten, handsome Bryan learned to write his name, and I tried in vain to keep them from growing up. I made them promise to stay little forever, but I am beginning to see that it just can't happen. Which is sad - I definitely miss my little babes - but fun too. The older they get the more fun we have just playing and being together. I'd like to make them promise that they'll grow up slowly, but I just can't seem to make time slow down for anything. And Ethan and I are kept on our toes with their growing personalities and constantly adapting our parenting to try and keep up. Ethan turned the big three-oh, which means I am officially married to an old person! (This is a joke, if you don't think it's funny you are officially old too! Don't worry, we can still be friends.) But he is still the gorgeous man I married and every year we spend together proves him to be more loving, more generous, more positive, and more hilarious than any other person I know. I'm grateful for every moment I have with him. The year has also been a reminder of just how much our Father above loves us and is aware of our family. We have been blessed in ways too numerous to list and often times too personal to describe, but we have strengthened our belief in the power of prayer, the miracle of service, the blessing of fasting and the importance of family, just to name a few. We have spent the whole year in the comfort of a home and always with enough food to eat and clothes to wear. We curl up at night in the summer with cool air, and more recently with warm blankets, and for all of these gifts our heart is full. We have spent some of this year like years past away from each other, but we have a steady income and a love that crosses oceans. We have been healthy, safe, and for the most part happy. Yes, 2009 has been good to our family. We were able to make and stick to a budget and finally get out of debt. We slowly acquired a little food storage and saved some money for a rainy day, and while this did require some sacrifice we know that the little we did is nothing compared to the help from the Lord in accomplishing these goals. The more we try, in little ways, to be obedient to our Father in Heaven and the words of his Prophets the more abundantly we are blessed in every way. One of those blessings has been the friends that have come into our lives. We have a plate in our Kitchen that reads 'Friends are the Family we Chose for Ourselves' and we love our friends that have truly become like family. Your support and friendship have definitely been one of the crowning jewels in our 2009 memory! So while I take a minute to think back on the past twelve months I am overwhelmed with not only how quickly it has flown, but just how much of it is burned into my heart forever. There have been rough times, trials, and loneliness to teach me that while it is not fun to be stretched, it is rewarding to look back and see how much we have grown. All of this fills me with excitement for the future. There is a lot on the horizon that is scary and unknown, but with the love of our family and faith in God I am ready to see what this New Year has in store. So bring in on 2010! I can tell, it is going to be a great year!