This year has been possibly the hardest year of my life but God has proven Himself to be so faithful to my little family.
We started the year with an 18-month-old who babbled all. the. time. and have now ended the year with a two and a half year old who will not stop talking. Or moving.
I cannot believe this was him one year ago!!
We met cousins we hadn’t seen yet and watched as the Lunch Bunch grew to include a few more dear, precious faces.
We discovered that Easter eggs can be hidden…
…and that jump houses are fun.
And a love for sports was formed.
We had the highlight of our year in April…
…and the lowest of lows when we lost our sweet little one in June. And in the middle of those things, God was still good to us in that we got to focus on this sweet someone who turned two.
Nathan woke up from his last nap in his crib….
… and went to sleep in his big boy bed in his new big boy room for the first time.
We were unsuccessful seeing the balloons at the Balloon Fiesta the first time but had a great time with some dear friends instead.
We welcomed fall and a new haircut at our favorite place – the pumpkin patch.
And someone kept practicing at the “wonderful” gift he received for his second birthday…
IMG 4764 from Erynn Mangum on Vimeo.
We had our first Christmas at home and then spent Christmas Day with the California cousins.
And then had Christmas number three with the Mangum side.
This has been a year filled with blessings and a year filled with frustrations. I have been forced to let go of things that I never wanted to let go of and shown the goodness of God in ways I never have seen it before.
It has been a year of waiting. We started with waiting and now, as we bring 2012 to a close, we end with waiting. My heart has been opened to so many of you, my dear friends, who are also in this sometimes very lonely road with me. And how we have prayed for each other. I have been so touched by your emails and comments and prayers. Words fail me in thanking you.
We have been so blessed with our family and friends. This year would have ended much differently without the perfect support system God had already put into place.
May God bless you and yours in this coming year and may we know even to a greater depth the love that He has for us.
Happy New Year!
Love,
The O’Briens
Sweet lady, my heart hearts for you, as well as all the others who have gone through incredibly painful things in 2012. You've been such an encouragement to me as I've seen you go through some of the hardest challenges, and yet, you're stilling saying, "My God is good. My God is faithful." And I agree, completely. The things our Father brings, even in the worst of situations amazes me. I, too, have had difficult experiences in 2012. Ones that I never want to repeat. But, looking back, I'm just so in awe of our wonderful God. And incredibly thankful. Thank you so much for your encouraging faith. I continue to pray for guys…may 2013 hold many blessings for you. xoxo.
Thank you so much!! I will pray for you as well – may 2013 be a year of God's grace in our lives!! 🙂
Happy New Year, Erynn, Jon and Nathan! I'm praying that God will give you the desires of your heart this year and that He would continue to bless you and your sweet family. I am so thankful to have walked into that Half-Price books one day several years ago and to have found Miss Match and Rematch–which lead me to a sweet friendship with you.
God is just so good! 🙂
Yes!! 🙂 So thankful for all of your notes and letters and encouragement during this very difficult year. You are a sweet friend!! I am praying for you. 🙂
Here's to a happy, blessed and rich new year, ripe with God's fullness…
Thank you so much!! 🙂 I hope the same for you!
Happy New Year, Erynn! It has been such a joy to get to know you better over this last year. And, like you, this last year has been one of the hardest in my life. However, I know it was through our mutual trial (the miscarriages) that I got to know you better! Happy New Year and I'm praying for you.
Thank you, Alicia! I will continue to pray for you in this coming new year!
((Hugs))) erynn. I've been praying for you and don't know if there are words to describe how much it means to me that you mention being aware of and praying for your readers who are also in waiting periods. It's so touching.l
You are so kind, Tonya. Thank you so much for your prayers!! Praying for you as well.