Top 10 of 2010

I just finished taking down all of our Christmas decorations and am staring at my bare mantle.  Not a pretty site I assure you.  While I sit here and procrastinate trying to come up with new and inspiring mantle decor, I thought I would share with you my favorite events from 2010!

In NO particular order: (why is it that I feel the need to even say that? I felt bad putting a certain event as #8 and another as #3.  As if these events have actual feelings and I was going to hurt them?  AS if YOU care which order I put them in.  But I digress.....focus Sharee focus!)

Me and Syd in front of Versailles. 

1. Traveled to France and Portugal 

Lisbon, Portugal

BTW...this is how excited a 4 year gets about sight-seeing...after having traveled for 14 hours and feeling jet-lagged!

The highlight for me was visiting the Flea Markets in Paris. What? Did someone say I had died and gone to  heaven? Can you tell I am like a deer in headlights...only I am not scared. I just don't know which way to turn or what to look at first or where to start! Another story for a another post!

2. New Camera

My little point and shoot camera was on it's last leg. I think it got left outside... over-night...on the grass one too many times.

See what I mean?  Blurry.  All the pictures turned out blurry.

So I got this one! It's a Cannon Rebel something something. I am too lazy to get up and look right now. I am still learning to use it. So excited!

3. Pre-K

Where does the time go? My baby is in Pre-K.  This is her...at circle time in her classroom...with her hair done exactly the way she likes it. I love this girl!

4. Baking

I decided to get serious about my BAKING.

I love to bake. I have been baking since I was way little. I need to do more of the things I love and stop comparing myself  to others. (that was me giving myself a little pep talk...how did it sound?)

5. Adopted a New Family Member

I said that we would just foster her. Really. That was all we were doing. Our lives were so calm with only one dog in the house. I promised no more dogs.

But then Syd named her Roxy (after my mom and another good friend). And the "foster dog" became more than just a random dog. She became our dog. She won us all over including my man...which is hard to do.

6. Sponsored a Child

picture from AOET's Children's Village web page.

We committed to sponsoring a Child through AOET. It's the organization that my sister and my dad have been very involved with in Uganda. (my mom too...she is a prayer warrior)

Our sponsor child's name is Jocelyn and she is 11 years old. She lives in Uganda with 6 siblings and her mother. Tragically, Jocelyn's father died of AIDS so her mom is the sole support for the family. Having a sponsor means that Jocelyn can go to school (something that is NOT available to the poor in Uganda) and she gains access to medical care for her entire family! I can't wait to exchange letters and see all that God has in store for her.

7. Party Time
I threw my man a 40th birthday party. 

This picture is to show you how much fun we had.

This picture is to show you how cute my dress was cause' really...it's all about me! (kidding)

8. Applied to be on staff with Greater European Mission

picture from GEM website

What? Who us? Leave our family, our friends and all of our stuff behind? To live in a foreign country? Why?

Did you know that in Europe, less than 2% of the people know Jesus?  It's true.

But isn't that a job for missionaries you ask? Missionaries we are not. But Jesus loving people we are! God has given us a burden to want to use our gifts for HIM and to tell others about the Freedom we have in Christ to live a wild and crazy life filled with adventure! (now if I could only figure out what my gifts are...isn't this always my questions?)

(We have been invited to GEM's Candidate Training in Colorado. I will keep you updated!)

9. A little sister or a baby brother. (Syd's exact prayer every night)

We love our family of three but we hope to make it 4 (or more) this year!

After two years of searching for the right adoption agency, we have finally found it! Now we are believing God for the provision ($39K!) needed. Yikes! We hope to be submitting an official application this month.

(If you want to know one of the reasons we are choosing adoption, you can read about My Search for Help.)

10. Did I say I had 10 things? Really? It is 3:36am as I write this (for some reason I like to write at 3:30am, doesn't everyone?). I am thinking that 9 events is good enough for me!

Happy New Year!  What are you looking forward to in 2011?