2011...A Year of Memories

     It's hard to believe that another year has passed and a new year has begun.  The year 2011 was definitely a busy, full year for our family.  It was filled with both happy times and sad times.  God has been so faithful to us.  He continues to pour out His blessings on us day after day.  Phillip and I officially became parents of not just one, but two teenagers.  We are so proud of them and the young people they are becoming.

    Our family was blessed with the arrival of two precious little nephews to love on.  Tyson Lamar Spillers was born in June.  Then in October, Jackson McClain Gilbert was born.  They are both so sweet and such blessings to our family! 

     Our family also lost some really special people too.  In February, Juanita Ross (one of Phillip's first cousins) lost her fight with cancer.  Then in June, the night before Father's Day, my 94 year old grandfather went to his home in Heaven.  They are missed so much by those of us who loved them.  We were blessed greatly by having them in our lives. 

     I was blessed this year to be able to spend a week with my daughter at BLUME, the national Acteen conference in Orlando at Disneyworld.  We had an awesome time together!  Less than 48 hours after getting home, our family left again for a 10 day mission trip to Wyoming with youth and adults from our church.  In addition to working with a church in Wyoming, we also had the opportunity to see a Rockies/Braves baseball game in Denver, Yellowstone Park, Mt Rushmore, and some of the most beautiful country that God ever created.  We were all worn out when we got home.  But it was a great trip filled with lots of special memories. 

I started the year teaching at Harper Elementary.  In the spring of the year, we started hearing the phrase "fruit basket turn over" quite often.  The idea of making changes was pretty stressful for a lot of us.  When it was all said and done,  I am still teaching at Harper Elementary.  And for that I am very thankful!  This fall has been a great adventure at Harper.  New teachers, new principal, lots of new kiddos, and new walls...just to name a few.  But I have enjoyed every minute of it....well, most of it anyway!  I love my job!  I love my first graders! And I love the principal and teachers that I work with everyday!  All I can say is... God is in control!  He makes all things beautiful in His time...not ours!  It is such a blessing to go to work with such a great group of people who love children.

     My prayer is that this new year 2012 will be another wonderful year of memories for our family and yours.  The following words are "borrowed" from a sweet coworker, but they say exactly what is on my heart today so beautifully.  They are certainly the desire of my heart for 2012 and always!

     "Well, 2011 was full of life lessons, love, laughter, and change. During 2012, I pray that I am the wife my husband needs, the mother my children need, the teacher my students need, the daughter, sister, and aunt my family needs, but most of all, the child that God needs!"

     Happy New Year to you all!!!