I can hardly believe that I’m typing those words…. It’s been an entire year since we moved from the blacktop to the dirt road. One year since our lives changed forever. And one year that will forever be etched on my heart. I have learned so much this past year and am excited to travel back over the past 365 days and share the highlights, maybe even some lows. Because we all know that it’s both the good and the bad that allow us to grow and change.

1. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

I had such a fun birthday this year! Eric took Nora and I to the Omaha Zoo during the day and then took me out for sushi that evening. I was pregnant, so I couldn’t fully indulge in all the wonderful raw stuff that I like, but it was so yummy just the same. I also remember that I bought a new dress to wear for that night out. It was one of my better purchases from The Buckle. I was able to take some time and reflect on what I am truly passionate about and just how blessed I had been that year. It’s so good to take the time to do that, isn’t it? Perspective, people.

2. What are your strongest memories from this year and why?

I think I could probably write an entire book about this year, but I will just pick out a few highlights. Of course, moving to the farm was a pretty big deal, exactly one year ago today. That same week that we moved, we found out we were having another baby, were thrilled to find out it was another little girl and then we had Andersyn. Being blessed with the gift of bringing a child into this world is truly life changing. It’s so humbling and beautiful. We spent another year celebrating Nora’s birthday and had another year of totally falling in love with our first born. She is a complete riot. We made it through our first year of planting, went through crazy weather that almost cost us our entire crop and started to figure out what our new normal looked like during harvest. This was the busiest, craziest most wonderful year of our lives. I will always look back on this year with the fondest of memories.

3. What did you do this year that you’ve never done before?

Well, we packed up our lives and moved to the farm, but not before a fun going away party that my folks threw for us. We built our dream house (updates here, here, here, and here.) Seriously, it was amazing to watch the transformation and witness my husband build our home alongside his dad with their BARE HANDS! In my opinion, he is an absolute stud. I think the thing that I was most excited about doing this year was breastfeeding Andersyn and I can honestly say that have never been so proud of myself. I also discovered what it’s like to live on the farm and experience some pretty crazy stuff for the first time.

4. What did you want and get?

We tried to make a baby, and obviously we did. We have been building our forever home all year and I can honestly say that we are getting everything that we want in it. It’s more perfect and beautiful than I could have ever dreamed of, and I have my wonderful husband to thank for that! I also had so many wonderful adventures with my sweet little Nora. Honestly guys, she is just the greatest little person ever.

5. What did you want and not get?

I really wanted an easy pregnancy. I struggled big time with nausea again, along with anxiety and back pain. Lucky for me, all of that went away the moment Andersyn was born. Booyah.

6. What would you like to have next year that you didn’t have this year?

I would really like to have a few nights away with Eric this year, just the two of us. We have never been away from the girls for more than one night and I **think** it’s finally time for us to make that a little longer. My BFF, Britt, from high school is getting married this fall over Labor Day in Colorado and I think we are going to make it into a long weekend getaway for us. I am SO EXCITED but so nervous at the same time!

7. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

YES!! I survived moving, becoming a farmer’s wife and building our house! Here were my reflections from last year and goals and here are my goals for the coming year. I am so excited to see what God has in store for our family this year!

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?

Well, I made it through the last 365 days, I think that’s pretty good. But truly, God taught me so much this year. And I can boast in Him for that. I was able to reflect on how grateful I was for all of my friends and experiences in KC before we moved, I was reminded over and over again of how special being a mom is and how God created me to be one, God taught me that that waiting is sometimes necessary, even a part of His plan even when I don’t understand it and learned that even though it’s hard and tiring, my babies will only need me like they do now for so long. Indeed, this was a huge year of learning and growth for me. God took my heart and stretched it to places I never knew it could go.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I wanted to get a few more new house projects done before we moved in, but I hardly got any done at all. But hey, we have the rest of our lives in that house for projects, right?

10. What did you rely on when you got overwhelmed?

My husband. As always, he has always been a huge pillar of strength for me. And he is just the best. We celebrated five years of marriage this year and year after year, he just continues to amaze me. We have been so blessed to have plugged into a church here in Milford, and we have found a fantastic new group of friends with in that community. I have relied very much on my girl friends this year, along with both sets of our parents. We are beyond blessed with the people that God has placed in our lives. His goodness surely is shown in that area of our lives. But ultimately, God’s Word is what has kept me grounded this year. I have found this year that if I have strayed from staying in the Word and having my quite time that things have seemed to fall apart at the seams.

11. What are your strongest recommendations for entertainment from this year?

I honestly wouldn’t know! I watch a lot of Little House on the Prairie reruns (and cry during them) and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, so I am not the person to ask 🙂

12. What song will remind you of this year?

The Hot Dog Dance Song from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Immeasurably More by Rend Collective

13. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Immeasurably More, by Rend Collective

More than all we ask
Than all we seek
All our hopes and dreams
You are immeasurably more
Than we can know
Than we can pray
All our words can say
You are immeasurably more

There’s nothing greater than Your love
You’re more than we can imagine
There’s nothing sweeter on this earth
You’re more than we can imagine
Our hearts respond to who You are
It’s You oh Lord that we adore
You are more, You are more
You’re more than we can imagine
You are more, You are more
You’re more than we can imagine

More than all our sin
Than all our shame
Stronger than the grave
You are immeasurably more
I can’t help but sing
Can’t help but praise
My heart can not contain
You are immeasurably more
You’re more than we can imagine

No eye has seen, no ear has heard
What is coming, what is coming
Never-ending joy, never-failing love
You are coming, You are coming

14. What was your most enjoyable purchase?

Our house. Duh. And the epidural I got during my labor. Double duh.

15. Did you travel? If so, where?

We went to Branson with my family this year and had so much fun! We also had a staycation with Eric’s family this summer and had a blast with them as well. It’s so fun being with family, isn’t it? We also took many trips to KC to visit my family through the year. It’s so weird to say that we “traveled” there when I have lived there all my life.

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Shopping. I could always go for more shopping.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worrying. I struggled with that a lot this year. But yet again, God continued to show up in a big way in my heart this year and taught me so much about giving every little thing over to Him.

18. Compared to this time last year, how are you different?

Like I said above, I don’t worry as much as I did this time last year. We have our first year of farming under our belt, we have settled SO WELL into our new life and I truly feel like we are home. I have a few new extra pounds on my hips from carrying and giving life to another baby, I have a whole new respect for my husband and have allowed God to grow certain parts of my heart in ways that I never could have dreamed this year. I also found something on the Amigo’s menu that I actually like. That’s kind of a big deal, just ask Eric.

19. Compared to this time last year, how are you the same?

Even though we live out in the boonies, I still love to shop. I love Target. I love antique stores. I love Starbucks. And I love Chipotle’. I still love getting dressed up and going places, I just don’t get to do it as often. I am still crazy in love with my husband and I love my babies something fierce. Those three are my world.

20. What’s a life lesson you learned this year?

That if I am striving for a more Godly character, that everything else that I tend to worry about will fall into place. I am nothing with out the love of Christ in my heart and it’s His presence in my life that changes everything. It’s so not about me; it’s about furthering His kingdom and bringing Him glory.

I also learned this year something new that our family’s heart is open to: adoption. We are in the extremely early stages of this, but Eric and I have really been praying about this over the past year. It was something that first started in Eric’s heart and it has infiltrated into mine as well. It’s still very new and fresh to us, but we know that God has put it in our hearts for a reason. Although we are not sure of an exact timeline, we are open to what God has for us in growing our family this way. We are SO excited that there is, or will be, a baby of ours out there waiting for us. We would covet your prayers as we start on this new and exciting, and extremely scary, journey together. But don’t worry, we are still planning on making a few more Nora-look-alike babies of our own 🙂

So there is our year in a nut-shell. We have been blessed beyond what we deserve and continue to look forward to another year of love, farming and baby raising. I’m so excited that your following along on this journey with us!