HARD: 2013 in review

2013 was a hard year. Not in a tragic life altering way, but in an every day difficult sort of way. The days were just plain tough.
The first three and half months of the year were spent in a sleep deprived fog. We slept in 45 minute increments. Those days and nights were tough. It was hard to parent and be patient when all you wanted to do was sleep. We took the easiest possible way out when it came to discipline. It was about survival, not thriving.

When the fog slowly lifted (it took a few months to feel normal again), we found ourselves contemplating a move. The next few months were spent budgeting, packing, cleaning and subsequently moving. We enjoyed our move. And not two weeks later, Dan started a new job.
This meant we had to readjust our lives to accommodate Dan's new hours. It was an adjustment but we have felt blessed by the new schedule. It works much better for our family. But at the time, it was just another adjustment.

Joel had a lot of regression after the move. We had to re-potty train, re-introduce bedtime routines, and finally stop slacking in our discipline. It was another few months of adjustment for our family. During that time we also had a few visitors from around the world. We were busy and it was a trying time for our family. We were still tired from lack of sleep so dealing with disciplinary issues and potty training accidents just added to the chaos.

It was for about a month after the summer that we felt okay. We finally felt that we had pulled into a rest stop. Life had calmed down. We had found a new rhythm. Things were going okay. Looking back, this was a time of rest before we hit our biggest hurdle of the year.

An unexpected pregnancy, followed by an equally unexpected miscarriage.  Once again our lives where thrown into turmoil.  Certain daily life tasks became difficult as we mourned the loss of Judah. We still mourn, but the pain has lessened as time has gone on. When the sting of loss lessened, we were thrown into the Christmas season. Busyness ensued and before we knew it, 2013 was over.

It was definitely a hard year on our family. It was a hard year on our marriage. (Life lesson: Your husband looks a lot more lovable after a good night sleep. A lot of marital discord can be solved after sleeping eight...even 6...no wait, four consecutive hours). Regardless of how hard 2013 is, we can look back and see God's faithfulness. As much as this year was difficult, we have seen how God drawn us together as a family, allowing us to appreciate one another in new ways. We have been blessed with a new home and a new job, both of which were desired and prayed for. We have seen our lives evolve and change. Difficult days were well...difficult. But we have come out of this year stronger, more committed to one another and well rested. We are excited and slightly hesitant to see what 2014 will bring. But we have no choice but to move forward, anticipating the highs and lows of the coming year.