The G Family 2015 State of the Union

Well, because I am a slacker, Christmas cards didn't get mailed. And New Years' cards are going out tomorrow...without their letters....because mom-ing happened. But, nonetheless, I thought I would post the drafted version of our annual G Family State of the Union so you could have a nutshell version of what I fully intended to send to your mailboxes:

They told us before we had children that time would fly faster with each year once little ones joined our lives and now we are truly grasping what they meant!  Peanut will turn 3 on January 22^nd and Nugget turned 1 on October 25^th. Our two little girls have very big personalities and it has been such a joy watching them grow, learn, and explore the world around them.

The year began far different than we ever imagined as we transitioned to the civilian world after ending our time with K on Active Duty.  We have adjusted to living back in our home state and it has been such a joy being so close to family.  It’s hard to believe we have been away from military life for almost a year and we definitely miss the community and comradre that it provided.  We are finding our niche here, however, and finding places to connect in our new environment.  We absolutely love our church, Waypoint and cherish the friendships old and new that surround us.

K has spent 2015 working in Iraq as a Security Contractor. While it has been difficult having him away for so long, he is enjoying the opportunity to continue to use his specific skills in a relevant occupation.  We hope that 2016 brings him home to us for good and are trusting the Lord to provide a job much closer to home.  He still dreams of the day he can have a Ferarri, but he still hasn’t died from driving the old family car (yes, Roger the Versa is still running!), so he will survive until the day of miracles occurs.

Peanut is bright, busy, and full of life.  She is quick to let you know that her favorite color is purple and her favorite princess is Cinderella.  It is hard to believe that she will be 3 next week.  She has a tender heart and loves her little sister with every fiber of her being.  She enjoys going to the babysitter’s house three days a week and playing with her best friend, Z.  You will often find Peanut singing, dancing, crafting, or playing with her dolls…usually without pants on (we’re working on that).  She loves Sunday school and has recently started learning how to memorize Bible verses. We are so proud of our sweet peanut!

Nugget is our calm and quiet little lady.  Usually found with her fingers in her mouth, she’s often content to observe the fun around her.  Now that she is walking, she’s becoming braver to venture out beyond mommy’s sight, but she’s always certain to come back.  She will likely be quite independent in time.  She loves to read and will often plop herself in a corner with a book unprompted.  She adores her big sister and also adores driving her crazy.  Nugget may be tiny, but she’s capable of shenanigans I never imagined.  She had tubes placed in early December after countless ear infections and now, because she can finally hear, is starting to talk! Like every good toddler, “no” is her favorite word with “hi” not too far behind.  She loves to dance and was absolutely thrilled when she started sharing her bedroom with big sister earlier this month.

Kim (me) is quite the expert at “worst timing ever” and, as such, decided to start nursing school this fall.  She is attending Nebraska Methodist College and completed her first semester with a perfect 4.0!  She is hoping to get into summer clinical so she can graduate in three years, but will graduate with her BSN no later than 2019 if all goes according to plan.  In addition to nursing school, she also works part time at a local non-profit as a breastfeeding educator.  She is continuing her doula work and her volunteer work with Babywearing International, just on a much smaller scale than in previous years.  Kim is thankful for all the remarkable people who have helped her with the girls over the last year as she found her balance between work, school, and motherhood.  She is also thankful for coffee (and yes, she did dress up the whole family as Doctor Who characters for Halloween). 

All in all, it has been a remarkable, life changing year for all of us.  We are continually humbled and amazed by everything the Lord is doing in our lives and in our family. We look forward to all He has for us in 2016 and we pray that you are touched by His mercy and goodness during the New Year! Don't be a stranger--our home is always open to friends near and far!

Sending all of our love,

K, Kim, Peanut (almost 3) & Nugget (14 months)