2018 - Year in Review

January
*I started the year still in a boot with my broken foot.
*We went to the Compassion Project with our life group.
*I found out that I was pregnant, spent 2 shocked weeks, and then lost our baby.
*We had a great snow that gave us time as a family, which was much needed.
*We got a new nephew - our precious Graham Robert.  The kids met him about a week later.
*Brenna and Davin played Optimist basketball on a team coached by their dad.

February
*Davin had what we think was the flu.
*We enjoyed the Winter Olympics on TV.
*The kids got their hearts on their doors for Valentines Day again.
*I got to join Davin on a field trip to the Green Room on my birthday.
*Jonathan planned a weekend away in Asheville for my birthday.  Unfortunately I came down with the flu and strep while we were there and was miserable.  I missed 4 days of work the following week.
*We celebrated Read Across America week at school.

March
*We celebrated Brenna's 8th birthday with a Cake Wars party with her friends at our home.
*I celebrated my birthday with friends for a fun dinner out.
*We had a visit from a leprechaun for St. Patrick's Day who left a little mess and some treats as well.
*We celebrated Easter at Startown with lots of egg hunts.

April
*We had another fun Easter egg drop at Soma Church on Easter Sunday.
*We planned a trip to DC over Spring Break, but a snowy, rainy forecast led us to cancel it.
*Instead we spent a day of our break at Carowinds.
*Lauren and Katlin got Sawyer's Down Syndrome diagnosis.  It was a test of faith for them and for our whole family - but what a blessing it is as we look back at that time and see the joy that he is now.
*My great aunt Kat died so we went home for the funeral.
*We headed out to some land nearby and took the kids fishing.  
*Brenna learned to roller skate.  
*Nanie came to visit and we took the kids to see Seussical, Jr. 
*The kids and I went strawberry picking and I made some more strawberry jam.
*Davin, Brenna, and I ran in the Kids' Marathon.
*Davin started spring baseball.
*Brenna played soccer at CVYSA.

May
*We celebrated Mother's Day at church while Jonathan was out of town.
*We celebrated Graham's christening in Charlotte with family.
*Jonathan and I joined Davin and the kindergarteners on their field trip to Tweetsie.
*Brenna's teacher conned us into adopting 2 of the baby chickens they hatched in class.  ;)


June
*I started a new gym (zrock) and spent a lot of time there.  Davin made a friend (Sam) there too, which was fun.
*We celebrated the JOY that is Sawyer Cole with a baby shower at Pine Mountain.
*2nd grade and kindergarten had water day and it was so much fun to watch my kids and their friends have a blast.
*We took the marathoners to Kool Park for such a fun outing away from the school.
*We celebrated Davin with an Olympics themed birthday party at home.
*Sheri showed up at Davin's party to surprise me and stayed the night.  It was MUCH needed time with my bestie.
*Davin finished up an amazing baseball season as 2nd place team - after a pretty rough season.  Jonathan was on a work trip so he had to Skype in and have his assistant coaches help.  
*The kids then went home with Neena and Pa Bill for a little while.
*The end of the school year meant a celebration with coworkers at Jacque's house.
*Brenna began her unicycle journey.
*I sat on several interview committees for new employees at Startown.
*The kids and I found a blueberry patch nearby and spent a HOT afternoon there.
*We spent a week at Oak Island with Brandan, Rachel, Graham, Neena, Nanie, Rick and Margaret.  
*Nanie taught Davin how to swim.
*I helped Brittany and Matt Kelly pull off a super fun wedding!

July
*The kids and the neighbors ran a lemonade stand on our street almost every day.
*Brenna took a cupcake decorating class at VHCC.
*We celebrated Cow Appreciation Day with our new friends, the Penlands.
*We hung out at Birkdale with Sissy and saw Incredibles II.
*I got a crazy case of Erythema Nodosum.  It made our trip tricky, but I pushed through it.
*Jonathan and I spent 10 fabulous day in Italy to celebrate our 10th anniversary.
*I went to Bristol to pick up the kids and we got to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at the Barter with Nanie and family.

August
*We said goodbye to and sold our Virginia home.  
*The kids and I spent some time downtown and painted some pottery with their friends.
*We ended summer with a family trip to Concord Mills to shop and ride go karts.
*We all started the 2018-2019 school year off.  The kids LOVE their teachers.  I'm learning the ropes of my new job description.
*We celebrated Lainey and Brady with a party at the park on a trip to Bristol.

September
*We spent Labor Day weekend camping in Grayson County by the river.
*My due date for our baby came and went and I survived.
*The kids and I saw Grease at the Green Room.
*Brenna finally mastered riding her unicycle.

October
*I started coaching Science Olypiad at school, and also started as the Yearbook designer.
*Bren rode in her first parade with the PE Club - Maiden's homecoming parade.
*Brenna and I took Nanie to New York City for a few days.
*Jonathan and Davin went to a UNC/VT game while we were gone.
*Brenna spent time with her best buds at a Halloween party.
*I was Sadness from Inside Out with the 6th grade girls for Halloween at school.
*The kids trick-or-treated with friends in our neighborhood and in Walnut Creek.  SO MUCH CANDY!

November
*We spent a day at the Renaissance Festival with Sissy.
*Brenna rode in the Hickory Christmas parade with PE Club.
*We rang the Salvation Army bell for a few hours at the mall and the kids took advantage of Santa having no line nearby.
*We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family in Bristol.
*We took the kids to their first Hokie football game - a W against UVA.
*We celebrated Thanksgiving with J's family.
*Jonathan went on a work trip to California.

December
*I spent hours at The Corner Table with friends from church and school making 100 tins of candy for their fundraiser.
*Our elf, Blitz, came back to see us. 
*We spent a week at Disney - enjoying the Christmas decorations and exploring all the new things we hadn't yet seen.
*We hosted friends for our annual Christmas and Caroling party.
*Hickory got TONS of snow while we were gone.
*We finished up the school days with lots of fun activities.
*Brenna qualified for the school-wide Hoop Shoot as one of the top two 8/9 year olds.
* We spent a few days with Jonathan's family - immediate and extended before going to Bristol to do the same with my family.  We got home late Christmas Eve.
*Santa came and the kids are still looking through their new goods.  We did gifts for the kids from us the next morning.
*Jonathan's dad came to visit the weekend after Christmas.  
*I came down with some sickness.
*We spent NYE at the Harlem Globetrotter's game in Charlotte.