We got back in town from California on the 27th and my amazing grandmother was already here. It was so fun to come home to her and the family!

The 28th was our third Christmas Eve and I spent the day on the couch with the stomach virus everyone had been passing around in California. Bleugh. Then Nathan came down with the croup on the 30th. Oh my…

We did have a wonderful Christmas, though, with my family. We are so blessed! It was a relaxing time – we watched a few Christmas movies we hadn’t watched yet, did a little bit of shopping and mostly just hung out in sweatpants the whole week.

Nathan scored about a million new bedtime buddies. He took a nap with all of them at one point and it was like “Where’s Waldo” except with Nathan. Someone was pretty stoked about it, as you can see. 😉

I love my crazy family!!
  

As I write this there is no evidence that Christmas ever happened in my house – everything is packed up and back in it’s normal place in the garage.

So it seems a little weird to only FINALLY be getting to posting Christmas pictures, but I did want to write everything down so I won’t forget!

We flew out on the 22nd to spend Christmas with Jon’s side of the family. It was so busy and so crazy with three VERY active toddlers running around, plus two extended families coming over, plus Santa, plus a million dirty dishes, plus a stomach bug and the croup.

But we had a great time and came home absolutely exhausted. Nathan slept until nine the next morning and then just laid in bed quietly until almost 10. Ha!

Jon’s uncle dressed up as Santa for the kids – so cute. Nathan kept telling him that “in the car” we sing songs like “Santa coming to town”. He monopolized him for a little while.

At one point opening presents, Josh (my nephew) said, “Oh my goodness!” as he unwrapped his present. Nathan, who was still trying to get his unwrapped said, “Hey! Where’s my goodness?” 😉

It was wonderful seeing Jon’s family again. We wish we got to see them more often!! I am very blessed to have the in-laws I have.

This year has been possibly the hardest year of my life but God has proven Himself to be so faithful to my little family.

We started the year with an 18-month-old who babbled all. the. time. and have now ended the year with a two and a half year old who will not stop talking. Or moving.

I cannot believe this was him one year ago!!

We met cousins we hadn’t seen yet and watched as the Lunch Bunch grew to include a few more dear, precious faces.

We discovered that Easter eggs can be hidden…

…and that jump houses are fun.

And a love for sports was formed.

We had the highlight of our year in April…

…and the lowest of lows when we lost our sweet little one in June. And in the middle of those things, God was still good to us in that we got to focus on this sweet someone who turned two.

Nathan woke up from his last nap in his crib….

… and went to sleep in his big boy bed in his new big boy room for the first time.

We were unsuccessful seeing the balloons at the Balloon Fiesta the first time but had a great time with some dear friends instead.

We welcomed fall and a new haircut at our favorite place – the pumpkin patch.

And someone kept practicing at the “wonderful” gift he received for his second birthday…

IMG 4764 from Erynn Mangum on Vimeo.

We had our first Christmas at home and then spent Christmas Day with the California cousins.

And then had Christmas number three with the Mangum side.

This has been a year filled with blessings and a year filled with frustrations. I have been forced to let go of things that I never wanted to let go of and shown the goodness of God in ways I never have seen it before.

It has been a year of waiting. We started with waiting and now, as we bring 2012 to a close, we end with waiting. My heart has been opened to so many of you, my dear friends, who are also in this sometimes very lonely road with me. And how we have prayed for each other. I have been so touched by your emails and comments and prayers. Words fail me in thanking you.

We have been so blessed with our family and friends. This year would have ended much differently without the perfect support system God had already put into place.

May God bless you and yours in this coming year and may we know even to a greater depth the love that He has for us.

Happy New Year!

Love,
The O’Briens