The fastest year of my life…..um…I feel like I started last years letter the same way.
We have had a crazy busy packed full year, bursting at the seams. It has taken me 37 years to realize that is just who I am, someone who packs more than is humanly possible into one day. Ya know what, I am ok with that. I think once you reach 37 years old, you stop making excuses for yourself and start embracing things.
I continue to stay at home with Audrey. I am so blessed to be able to do it. It is true, they do grow up in a blink and I realize I have just 18 months until she heads off to Kindergarten. I never in my whole fast paced career life thought I would even want to be a Stay at Home Mom. Turns out that the job fits me just right.
In addition to being a fulltime mom, I had a crazy busy wonderful business year as my photography business continued to grow at a very rapid pace. Sometimes I have to slow myself down, but I do love it! I have met many wonderful customers that have turned into very dear friends. I have captured some incredible moments that I can look back over and say, wow, I am so glad I was a part of that. I have photographed a friend who lost all of her hair while fighting breast cancer, and re-photographed her after her battle was won. I have seen the sweet smiles of new babies, the first kisses as man and wife, the empty chair in front of a family that waits to fill it with an adopted child, a father with his grown daughters just months before he passed away. Life as a photographer is filled with lessons and blessings.
Jim continues to tackle two jobs. First he celebrated his 8th year at Equipment Depot. Work has kept him super busy this year, and busy is good. He traveled to the Ryder cup with his coworkers this year as a treat, and he loved it! His work has been so flexible and good to him. Being the Fire Chief is still his other full time job and still his biggest passion. As always I have to remind myself on a daily basis that there is a good reason Audrey and I don’t see much of Jim when his regular work hours are over. Today, we travel via fire engine to take Christmas gifts, lots of them, that the UAFD collected , to a family of 9. And this evening we drive around our neighborhood , with Jim dressed as Santa , and hand out treats to our neighborhood kids. These two events make the rest of the year worth the craziness, seeing other people blessed. It does any heart good, mine doubly good!
Audrey isn’t a baby anymore. She is a big tall, silly, crazy kid. Too big now at 3 ½ for a FREE ice cream at Brusters…already! She started preschool in August. We have seen her take flight since she began going to preschool. It started out rocky, whew, but oh my has she flourished. We are so grateful for her amazing teachers and the staff at Country and Town. Potty training was a big obstacle that we tackled and after months finally surmounted. Once that happened, our baby girl became little miss independent. She loves dancing and twirling and horses, and coloring and playdough. And, after a trip to Disney on Ice and Mary Poppins and each subsequent obsession afterward with each, I can say she loves show tunes and we may see her on Broadway someday.
We enjoyed camping this year, trips to the Lake and the beach( Both OBX and Dewey) . In August, we added a new member to our family, our pontoon boat. Jims dream came true and even though I fussed and refused it at first, I ended up loving it as much as he did. We have it docked on the Susquehanna in Wormleysburg. I must admit we now have the best seat to Fireworks in Harrisburg. We look forward to enjoying lazy days on the river in 2013.
We enjoyed a lot of local places this year: Lake Tobias, Land of Little Horses, Hershey Park Christmas Candylane, The State Museum, and so many wonderful places. We bought a membership to Catoctin Zoo in Thurmont , MD. It is about 45 minutes from our home. We have made this our second home and LOVE the animals that we visited often this summer and fall.
In September, we hopped aboard an Alaskan Cruise Ship along with my parents, our friend Mike and Lori and Paul and Bonnie. WOW, the trip of a lifetime with wonderful friends. We started out saying we should make the most of a place we will only see once in our life, but we quickly changed our tune and know for certain we will go back. We got to visit Seattle, WA during our trip and loved it as well. We went for my mom and dads 40th anniversary and they renewed their wedding vows on board.
I am sure I have forgotten 3 dozen things we did and 3 dozen important things to share. In the end, that doesn’t matter so much I guess.
In the wake of the last few weeks tragedies, we have grasped on to the one true blessing that we always know for certain: that a baby born in a manger continues to hold us together and bless our family.
May HIS love be a blessing to your lives throughout the new year!
Stacy, Jimmy, Audrey, Molli, Jagger, the fish, the hermit crab Salter
