Taking stock of 2015.

  

These posts have become a bit of a tradition for me and I love them so much. They take forever to draft and I'm not sure anyone reads them all the way through. But man, are they such a good practice in intentionally looking back and acknowledging all the ways God has used the past year to bless, stretch, and grow me.

For fun, here are the looks back on 2014// 2013// 2012. Leave me a comment with your IG/blog post of your best parts of 2015- I love reading those things!

January// Justin had another birthday! I spent some time reflecting on stepping back from social work and into life as a stay at home mom. And there were more Thursdays with Caleb posts! I learned a bit more about Bible reading {and actually engaging with it!} and how important it is for every part of my life. I did my first cell phone detox and It. Was. Awesome. Caleb turned 7 months old! My dogs were as adorable as ever. It was really cold and I broke out my favorite winter essentials. I shared my favorite {and easy} way to keep track of our photos throughout the year!

February// Such a slower month! Caleb was recovering from RSV, so we hibernated a lot and counted down the days until spring. I made goals for 2016 and started working my action steps {ps. my favorite goals ever}! Caleb turned 8 months old. I thought a lot about how food has become my love language. And I logged more Thursdays with Caleb, while starting a list of things I want to remember about these days as a mom. 

March// I started {and never finished...} sharing some of my baby favorites. We still felt the cabin fever and I was dreaming of a beach vacation. We celebrated knowing Caleb on the outside as long as I carried him on the inside and he turned 9 months old! I started dreaming about Spring and thinking about what it means to blooming where you're planted.. My goal of getting in front of the camera more resurfaced, but I'm not sure how well I did at it. I checked in on my goals for the year and was surprisingly on track! 

April// This is the month we found out our family was growing again! While we didn't announce it for a few more months, the news slowly settled into our hearts and we started soaking up our last months as a family of 3. I shared my all time ever favorite sweet potato recipe {that we're breaking out again for our next Whole30 round!}. We celebrated Easter! And immediately after, I took a sick day, which led to a positive pregnancy test! I shared the last two parts of my baby favorites series.  Mondays were our favorite days. I thought and prayed a lot about grief and how to grieve well with friends I love as a close friend of mine lost her baby- and again as I spent time with another close friend talking about the year since losing her baby. I'm not sure I'm good at it still, but I've learned so much at loving well through both grief and celebration over the past couple of years. Caleb turned 10 months old! And, after really feeling the first trimester slump, I made some goals to help myself get out of bed and do things! 

May// Um, I was really feeling the first trimester this month. Lots of nausea and tiredness. Justin's grandma also passed away, so we made a trip to Florida to celebrate her life. Our first trip together away from Caleb! I stopped nursing {Caleb was biting! And so done! It was entirely anti-climactic}. But I did share one more baby favorites list and made some gardening plans. And documented how adorable Caleb is during bath time- priorities, right?  

June// I got around to documenting Caleb's 11 month update and then he turned 1! And then we announced Caleb was going to be a big brother! And I shared a bit more to the story- because there's always more to the story. And then I started documenting this pregnancy, of course {14, 15, 16 weeks}! Things started to bloom all around our yard and it made my heart so happy. And we celebrated the official start of summer with a blow up pool and watermelon! I thought about how to love well and generously- and am still thinking about it. And I shared my summer favorites and reads. 

July// July was a full month! I was feeling so much better pregnancy-wise {17, 19 weeks} and we found out we were expecting another boy! Justin and I celebrated another anniversary and reflected on how much we've grown and changed in the past 6 years. We realized we're nearing the end of our time in our first house, so I started making a list of what I love about it before we move sometime this year. I worked on embracing my season of life more than ever. I got around to documenting Caleb's 12 month update {crawling! talking! less baby, more toddler!}- and the quilt I made him! Every summer, I love all the fresh and affordable produce, so this year I made a new fav salad to share. And we soaked in every little bit of summer-y goodness!

August// We ended July with our annual lake vacation and I recapped it here. As soon as we came home, we celebrated Mia's 3rd birthday with a cupcake social- it was so cute. I was still pregnant and writing letters to baby boy- 22, 23, 24 weeks. Justin had his first State Fair experience! I though about joy and quality over quantity when it comes to friendships and made a bucket list for our house {update- hardly any of it has been done}. And, my favorite part of this month, I became a Noonday Ambassador! And was so surprised at how supported I was and how many people around me were excited for me! I kept up with my Thursdays with Caleb posts {some of my favs} and made a 30 before 30 bucket list {update coming soonish}! 

September// Caleb had his first haircut and it was sort of hilarious! {well, in July actually. But I finally documented it!} And he turned 15 months- which meant crazy fun things like WALKING and TALKING and just growing so much. More pregnancy letters to baby #2 {26, 27, 28, 29 weeks- where my sisters threw me the sweetest baby sprinkle with some of my closest friends}. And fall started- which meant breaking out traditions and favorite recipes. I struggled a bit this month with how to find quiet time for myself and to be in the Word to ease my anxieties. 

October// Hooray for the third trimester! I think it really started to hit me in October that most of my pregnancy had flown by and our family was going to grow soon. The whole thing flew by and just like that I was already documenting 30, 32, and 33 weeks. I also decorated my house for Fall {but hardly} and started putting together Tyler's nursery. Caleb turned 16 months and I finally shared his super low key 1st birthday party. I also made it 5/6 of the way through my Bible reading and memory verse goal and shared how it had changed me already- tiny seeds can grow abundantly!

November// Um, I became very pregnant this month. Our calendar filled up like crazy and I tried to really soak in my last days at home alone with Caleb. I celebrated 34, 35, and 36 weeks of being pregnant with more letters to baby boy. And- 37 weeks pregnant! It sounds silly, but it was strange to officially pass the time that I delivered with Caleb {little did I know that I only had a week left to go!}. Non pregnancy related? I had my first Adoption Trunk Show this month and was BLOWN AWAY by how people showed up to support the family- they raised so much money to help bring a sweet little baby home! And I realized how much I love sharing Noonday Collection with others when I had my last show before maternity leave- and my biggest show! And the day before Tyler was born? I shared my gift guide for littles. 

December// To say this month started off with a bang would be an understatement. I woke up on December 1st in labor, and didn't even realize it until I was literally ready to push this kid out. Tyler was born fast and furious on December 1st! I'm so glad I was quick to write down his birth story by the time he was only a week old. That same week I decided I needed to take a break from instagram, to put my phone down and be more present with my kiddos. Its been great! And its meant more old school blogging, which I've loved. Lots of posts this month on Tyler's due date, my kitchen dreams,  one last gift guide, throwing kindness around like confetti, and Tyler's gift to me of sleeping for 9 hours! Of course, we had the sweetest Christmas this year with Caleb being at such a hilarious age and Tyler being so snuggly and sweet. Christmas 2015 is probably my favorite ever! 

2015 has been such a sweet year. And I know that every year looks different, so I'm extra thankful. I have no idea what 2016 has for us {a new house? probably some chaos with 2 under 2? definitely not another baby!}- but I'm excited to see!