January:
Josh's last basketball game for 5th grade
My sweet cat Punch diagnosed with hyperthyroidism -- the beginning of the end for her
We had a "mini" Kyrgyz reunion in Nashville with several Kyrgyz and Russian sweeties
Bacterial infection in my eye
First post-placement visit
Baby-proofed the house
Struggled with sleep issues with Ellie
Camera from orphanage (pix of Ellie) is blank so no pix while we were away
Ellie attends her first birthday party for Caleb
February
Ellie attends a baby shower for Cooper and surprise party for Ms. Betty
I get the flu
Punch goes to heaven - February 17; my heart is broken.
Ellie celebrates Valentine with Abby Cadabby valentine cards and gets an Asian baby doll
Cora Paige goes to heaven after her battle with cancer. Even though I don't know her my heart is broken. I continue to follow her parent's blog to this day. She was 23 days older than Ellie.
Ellie gets her first "official" photo session with MeeMee
Ellie, Josh and I go to the zoo for E's first trip
Ellie gets an "A" at her check up. Weighs 16 lbs, 1 oz.
March
Baseball season starts and Josh hits a ball out of the park at baseball practice.
Ellie has 12 month check up and celebrates 1st birthday. Great princess party!
Josh has his basketball banquet
Still battling sleep issues with Ellie
Josh makes all A's/B's on report card.
Ellie meets Uncle Steve, Aunt Angie and cousins, Danielle, Lauren and Emily for the first time
Ellie's first visit with Josh to Chuck E Cheese
Encores and More consignment sale.
I have double ear infection; both Josh and Ellie have colds.
April
Ellie has ear infections.
Ellie gets one year pix made and gets new car seat from MeeMee and DeeDee.
Josh's baseball team is having a winning season.
Air conditioner -- broken -- concern that an animal built a nest inside it. Thank goodness they did not.
Josh enters church fishing tournament and he, DeeDee, Kevin, Ellie and I all go fishing.
Ellie attends her first Girl's Night Out.
Josh develops ear infection. He struggles with and we attempt to deal with some issues of jealousy over the attention Ellie gets.
Sleep struggles becoming a real issue.
Ellie has first Oreo -- huge mess
Ellie starts to stay with "Ms. DeeAnna" and her friend, Addie
I start "couponing".
We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at Easter.
Ellie goes to her first Easter egg hunts.
Family trip to Owen Farm
Continue praying for the 65 children still "stuck" in K'stan orphanages.
May
Monkey Ellie learns how to climb out of the pack and play at Ms. DeeAnna's house.
Josh disappointed as he tries out for middle school golf and does not make the team.
We celebrate Memorial Day with a wading pool and a slip and slide. Fun!
Josh ends his year as a fifth grader.
Ellie enjoys going to Josh's baseball games and playing with the kids.
Josh's baseball team continues to win.
I get peed on by a dog while working.
Josh wins an AWANA award at church.
Ellie learns to unroll toilet paper.
Josh works on building a fort.
Ellie's dedication at church on Mother's Day
June
Ellie stays with MeeMee and DeeDee as we have "date night" with Josh and go to the movies.
Ellie's 15 month check up -- weighs 19 lbs, 6 oz. Afterwards we had family day at Sonic and the park.
Farrah Fawcett passes away.
Michael Jackson passes away.
Trip to Knoxville with Kevin and kids.
We celebrate Father's Day.
Ellie photographed for Lifeway publication cover.
Attend play date at the park with several other "bloggy friends" that come to Nashville.
Ellie gets first major boo-boo busting her lip on a chair.
Baseball season ends.
Ellie tested for Early Intervention services. Does not qualify based on her abilities.
Josh goes to 4H camp -- miss him terribly!!
July
Second post placement visit
Ellie "eats rocks and mulch" -- frequently.
Ellie moves up in Sunday School.
Ellie has sinus infection.
Ellie goes to Murfreesboro to play with and swim with Katie.
Trip to Holiday World. Took our friend Bryce and Grandparents went too!
Kevin's truck broken into when Josh and I drive it to the GameStop. Stole purse and GPS and broke window.
Grandmother falls, has pneumonia and is taken to the hospital.
Playdate with Charlie and Jia at library and Farmer's Market
We celebrate 4th of July at a creek baptism for church -- FUN!!!
We have a fun mini-Kyrgyz reunion in Louisville and visit the Louisville Zoo and Slugger Museum
August 2009
Football season starts
Our friend, Aidai, celebrates her birthday.
Ellie competes in Baby Pageant at local fair. She was beautiful!
Josh gets puked on at fair.
I get shingles.
I get shingles.
Encores and More Consignment sale -- I win the opportunity to shop first and LOTS of gift certificates for merchandise credit -- AWESOME fun
Ellie gets hand/foot/mouth -- HORRIBLE time with it.
Josh has first day of 6th grade.
"Hotdog" and Allison came for a weekend visit and we had SO MUCH FUN!! 
SEPTEMBER
Ellie turns 18 months old.
I started a coupon blog -- that I didn't/don't have time to keep up and have let it flounder.
Ellie met her Uncle Mike, Aunt Ann and cousins Caitlin and Sarah when they come to visit.
Kevin got laid off from his job.
I post my 1000th post and post "The List" of things I'd like to do during my lifetime.
OCTOBER
Ellie carves her first pumpkin with Josh and Daddy.
We find a puppy under our building and find a good home for him.
Josh is a gorilla and Ellie is a Tinkerbell fairy for Halloween. It is Ellie's first Halloween.
Football season ends; Josh's team are division champions but lose in the first round of playoffs.
We celebrated Ellie's one year homecomingaversary.
Basketball season starts.
We make a trip with friends to Honeysuckle Hill Farms where it rains the whole time.
We celebrate Ellie's Gotcha Day.
Josh's football team has a campout and dirt bike riding fun.
Ellie gets her first "boy" kiss -- at church in the nursery from Caleb.
We had to put our dog, Sunshine to sleep.
NOVEMBER
Josh celebrates his 12th birthday with a sleepover.
We celebrate Kevin's birthday.
We have family in and celebrate Thanksgiving.
Our sweet friends, John and Lori have their sweet baby Matthew, who passes away a few hours later. I continue to be in prayer for Lori and John.
We decorate for Christmas.
We visit Opryland Hotel to see the lights and "lose" Josh.
I get a pie in the face on behalf of all our friends who helped us raise money for Christmas for children in Central Asia.
Kevin and I celebrate 15 years of marriage.
We had to put our sweet kitty, Duke, to sleep -- third animal this year.
Josh's football team competes in and wins the Ralph Spangler Classic.
Kevin gets A JOB!!
DECEMBER
We celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and have a wonderful Christmas.
I celebrate my 42nd birthday.
We visit Santa.
I celebrate Christmas with "The Girls".
Our whole family celebrates Christmas with Grandmother at the nursing home.
Josh loses "Kitty" and we replace him.
Josh's team has their football banquet.
Kevin, Josh and Ellie attend the local Christmas parade. I am sick.
Happy New Year! Welcome 2010. I have higher hopes for 2010 than I have in a while. While I realize that every day of my life this year was ordained from God and each one had some sort of purpose, it was a hard year. Looking back through all the photos, I also realize there has been a lot of beautiful moments and times to cherish. Infused with the great moments have been some hard and sad moments that do show up in photos and those that don't but that we remember vividly. Like everyone else, I like the years on top of the mountain, but not those spent in the valleys. Ironically though, it's those years I spend in the valleys when I learn the most and God grows me more into the person He wants me to be. This has been a pruning year for us, I'm sure, where God is pruning away the dead branches so that we have room to grow. I hope we are up for the growth. I hope He thinks we are. I've spent the last few months in serious contemplation about my life and our family life and our direction. We plan to make changes in 2010. We didn't "resolve" in 2009, and we won't "resolve" in 2010, but we need to make changes in the way the function as a family. It's a nice time for a clean slate, a fresh start, a new year -- better choices, more productivity, better health. I am anxious to start the year.
