Good-bye 2007

As the evening draws to a close and I contemplate bedtime, I have taken a moment to reflect on all that the year 2007 has offered to my life.

There have been the continuation of friendships that have been on-going for years. The "Girls", Sharon, Jennifer, Dianne, Iris and Dawn, remain a steady source of support for one another and I know I speak for all of us when I say I can't imagine life without them. I was blessed to make new friends and even more blessed not to lose any of the ones I have. I continue to be blessed by my friend Susan who challenges the way I think, points out when I'm wrong, listens when I complain and buys me Starbucks' gift cards.

My mother was seriously ill a lot this year, but as the day draws to a close I have heard how she is cleaning and washing and organizing and preparing for the new year. For those simple activities that she can enjoy I am thankful for there were many, many times this year that those things were not possible. We have been blessed to have had the Lord provide healing from cancer, deliverance from much of her pain through physical therapy and even after much difficulty post-operatively, the successful removal of her gall bladder and thyroid.

My dad was healthy throughout 2007 and had good results from a colonoscopy this year. He continues to work at The Home Depot and get up earlier than the chickens. He developed a huge interest in computers and cameras this year.

Joshua has done well in his new school, both behaviorally and academically. It was a good move for him. He did well in sports this year and looks forward to basketball, baseball and football for the coming year. 2008 will see him enter middle school. How can this be? He just isn't old enough! 2008 will also see his tonsils and adenoids out -- a procedure that has my mommy-fear on high alert. I know that God gave him to me and that He loves him more than even I do. I know He will take care of him. 2007 was the year we learned of both his and my ADHD diagnosis and we have truly come a long way this year in finding what works for him, for me and for our family. Knowledge truly is power in this case.

Kevin has done well this year at work, completing the submission of his packet to become a Senior Geologist and move up to a more managerial position in the company. This is something he has wanted for a long time and I know he is happy to have achieved it. He has been asked to be a Deacon Partner at church in the coming year and is very excited about that. I am very proud of him and thank God for blessing this man who takes such good care of us.

And me, well, 2007 didn't bring my daughter, but it allowed God to use this time to mature me and grow me more into the person He needs me to be. I was able to travel several times this year to South Carolina to do projects and while it is always hard to be away and is hard when I return, the time away is always like a respite from "real life" and allows me time to focus on my relationship with God as I only have responsibility for myself during that time. I was blessed in my time facilitiating the Beth Moore classs on A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place. 2008 will bring about facilitating another Beth Moore class, Stepping Up. I am truly looking forward to it as I grow immeasurably from each study of hers that I do. Sadly, I know it will bring on more direct attacks from Satan as I work to study God's word in-depth, but it is a price I am willing to pay to grow closer to Him.

I have become so much more aware of the plight of poverty, homelessness, orphans and political unrest in the world around us. Sadly, I have become somewhat jaded about the world of adoption and of the agendas of the agencies who proport to serve these populations, but I know that my God is the Ancient of Days and that in the end, He will work it out so I don't have to.

I lost my dear friend this year, Scatty-Ratty-Patty-Boombalatty, aka Scat, my big fat yellow kitty who had such a hard life, medically. There are times I still catch sight of him out of the corner of my eye -- walking through the house. I suspect that 2008 might be the year we loose our Sunshine, an old girl who has been a good dog.

I feel I have settled more into my church and have made more friends -- a hard task for someone who really prefers to be the introvert. I have made many new friends online through my adoption research.

I still have my Grandmother, but each year, we think it will be her last. She turned 80 this year. She is only a little short of living to be the oldest of her siblings.

2008 brought home Reed from Taiwan; the birth of Caleb; the pregnancy of my friend DeeAnna; and the move of our friends, The Lyons to another church. It brought about the recent referral of Mikayla from Hong Kong to our friends Mark and Anita after their move from Tennessee to Florida this year. We saw the referral and subsequent travel of friends, The Hoods from Smyrna, who traveled to China to get Jadyn. My high school friend Terri traveled to China to get Teagan (and she also experienced the marriage of her daughter and birth of her granddaughter this year as well). And fellow Tennesseeans, the Hindman's traveled to China to pick up Zoey. 2007 saw the miracle of Brea Wusterbarth, a precious little one originally from China who received a heart transplant.

2007 saw me turn 40, my grandmother turn 80 and my son turn 10. It was a year of "0's". It was the year that dear friend Phyllis Trevathan, who also turned a "0" age this year, left our cul de sac to marry and move to Franklin. Sadly it was the year that my dear friend Stoney lost his brother, Dean, and uncle, Cecil, both unexpectedly.

It was the year that Kevin and I first got to attend the Weekend to Remember marriage conference at Opryland -- it was life changing and a wonderful experience -- thanks to our Sunday school teachers, The Felts'.

It was the first year that all of Kevin's family had been together for a holiday in many, many years. It was such a blessing to have Thanksgiving all together and for all of the family to finally all be in the States at the same time.

It was a good year, all things considered. It was a year that made me laugh and cry, to glorify and praise God and to question Him. It was a year to be thankful.

I look forward to 2008 and all the excitement it has in store!!

Happy New Year Dear Friends!