Year in Recap: 12 in 12 Photos

Last year's 11 photos in 11 was so fun I thought I would continue the tradition and go for 12 photos in 12. I don't know how long I'll keep this up. I mean 32 photos is 2032 could be a really long blog post. But for now, it works. Some things I learned while finding recap photos:

1. I didn't realize all the fun we had until I went in retrospect. I was surprised to find we had a jam-packed year. I mean, maybe not surprised. I knew we did a lot this year. I was surprised we did enough photo-worthy things. For instance, E got a new job. Huge. No photo for that. And yet, I managed to easily come up with 12.

2. We really had months when we didn't take any photos at all. Like January. Or July. So forgive the fact that some months have no photos while others have many.

And now, in chronological order, our year in 12 photos:

1. Our trip to the final MU/kU basketball game, thanks to our gracious ticket fairy. It was a blast!

2. Venue captaining the largest venue at True/False and getting to hold Mr. Oscar himself for best documentary, Undefeated (shout out to Dan Lindsay--MU Grad). Woah.

3. Surprise girl trip with my mama to Chicago. Also my final Mizzou work-related trip. Great girl bonding time and wonderful dinner with cousins.

4. First Sunday at my new job. (from The Crossing's photo stream)

5. First Kids Club as a staff member. I survived!!

6. Trip to Portland for our 5th anniversary and to see Mark and his darling fiancé.

7. Empowered to Connect Conference in Nashville where I got to meet mamas from my agency and felt even more a part of this whole adoption-community-thing (sorry for the picture quality--it's the only one we have!!).

8. Half marathon with my family in town. Great precursor to that marathon thing that took up most of my life in 2012.

9. November celebration of one year waiting. And the reminder we have the best small group on the planet.

10. Finish of the St. Jude half marathon. Raising $1100 to fight childhood cancer and illness through St. Jude. Touring St. Jude. Training for months with my darling, amazing husband.

11. Christmas Card 2012 photo

12. Christmas at my house. All the kids (my brothers and their ladies, as well as my cousin Lauren)

2012 was grand. In so many ways it's not what I expected at all. I think that is a lesson I keep learning over and over. Life isn't going to be what we expect. But I have been changed and have grown so much this year. I can't wait to see how different I am at the end of 2012.

May God bless you in 2013. May you come out changed. Grown. And serving Him more with your everyday.

Happy New Year!