Happy New Year

We didn't do a holiday letter this year. And I'm not doing a 2009 recap post this year either.  I've tried to, I really have, but I'm not going to.  2009 was good.  We're happy and healthy.  If you're a blog reader you know that my babies are growing too fast, they are ridiculous and funny and sweet, and that sometimes they make me crazy.  (See: peeing in the basket incident.)

Instead of recapping 2009, we are all really looking forward to 2010.  Lots of big things in store this year.  First of all, Joel and I are heading to Mexico in 10 days!  (And he turns 31 in 6 days!)  We decided to take a trip to celebrate 10 years of marriage.  We leave our kids fairly often for over nighters, or a few days away, but this will definitely be much longer than anything we've done before.  I'm getting very anxious thinking about leaving them, but I also think it's important for our marriage that we do it!  (Especially considering that we hope to add one more child to our family this year, through adoption.)  Thanks to my mom and 7 of our friends, (who are a lot like family too), our kids will be in awesome hands.  It will be a good test run for when we go to Ethiopia too.  Garrett thinks we're bringing our baby home, now, from Mexico, but at least we got that whole, 'growing an Ethiopian baby in your tummy' thing taken care of.

I'm going to a Moms' weekend in February, which should be tons of fun!

In March, birthday season kicks off as our 'baby', Carter, turns 4.  FOUR.  FOUR!!!  He's already decided that he wants a tractor party, so I guess I'd better get to figuring that out!

April brings my 32nd birthday, and I suppose then I will admit to having both feet firmly in my 30s.  Right now I feel like I'm on the very edge!  Like, half of my left foot and my right big toe.

In May Garrett will turn 7, officially a very big kid, and Miss Madeline with be 10.  We will be the parents of a TEN YEAR OLD.  I can't even really deal with that right now!

June will bring the end of school, and a dance recital where Garrett will wow the audience with his tap and hip hop abilities, and Madeline will showcase her jazz, hip hop, tap, ballet, and dance team moves!

Camping in July.  (Maybe this will be the year we install the quarter hot water heater and a shower we've been discussing for at least 10 years?!?)

August will go too fast, and be full of warm days, eating fresh and local produce, gathering school supplies, and having 'trying on parties' to see what clothes need to be purchased for the new school year.

School will start in September and Madeline will begin her last year as an elementary student.  Garrett will be in 2nd grade.  He'll probably play soccer again, she'll probably still dance.  I will hopefully not coach!  Carter will have another year at preschool.

October will bring rain and Halloween, thankfully we haven't started talking about costumes yet- but knowing my kids, the topic will come anytime.

In November we'll have a scattered school schedule, hopefully no traveling for Joel, and our traditional Thanksgiving.

And then we'll be at December again.  Hopefully more decorating this year, we'll stay home, more baking, and maybe we can even use that gingerbread house kit that I forgot to do this year.

So many traditions to look forward to.  Probably many new things that we haven't thought of yet.  Hopefully some hikes, maybe some camping (maybe!), and definitely some backyard campfires.

Lots of running- my goal is to run 500 miles this year.  I would love to do a tri, like I wanted to last year, but it is evident that the swimming piece is not going to come together at this point in my life- I just can't get to the pool like I would need to, to ensure that I would not drown in Hagg Lake.  (It turns out that 'not drowning' is a fairly high priority for me.)

And then, of course, is most likely the event that will define 2010 for us. Hopefully, somewhere between all the traditions and new experiences, will be a trip to Ethiopia.  A trip where Joel and I leave Portland, and come home with a baby in our arms.  Hopefully, this will be the year we bring home our 4th child from Ethiopia.  (More adoption posts coming soon.)  Working through this process so far has been overwhelming, inspiring, heartbreaking, heartwarming, exciting, and daunting all at once.  It's complicated, but we are encouraged and looking forward to the future.

A year from now I will relfect back on the first year in this new decade.  It will be a year with bumps and bruises, most years are.  Things will happen that we've never considered, and things will happen that we're expecting.  But it's a new slate, either way.