As I sit here and reminisce on the past year, I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude to my one and only God! He has blessed us beyond our understanding. We started off our year at home lifting glasses with apple cider to the new 2010, wondering and hoping to meet our precious new life, but God intended for her to join us on the 11th instead. I will never forget the foggy and wet weather when Barry and I drove to the Dr’s office, hoping for some good news at 9:30 A.M. and later that day at 2:20 P.M., Isabella Nellie has joined our family. That is when the 2010 made its’ first mark for me. I was in love with the year from that day on. Today, I write this entry while my sweet daughter is sleeping in her crib after celebrating her first year of life. It is a true privilege to be a parent and I am so grateful that God gave us opportunity to become them. If you asked me what comes to mind when I think of 2010, I can easily say, the first glance at my daughter, the first giggles, the first hug, the first kiss, the sound of the word “mama”, the first steps. I loved every single day, no matter how difficult it was at times- it is by far the most rewarding job on this earth. The decision to stay home with my baby girl was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I will forever be grateful to God that he keeps providing us with opportunities.
On another note, Barry’s business has been taking off quite nicely, his confidence is growing every day in what he does and the best part for me is watching him loving what he does. I absolutely love the fact that he works from home, I wouldn’t have it any other way and when you think one would get tired of another, it is actually quite the opposite as I have come to appreciate him even more.
Summing up 2010: Pregnant (Helen), Barry starts his own marketing business (Spotlight Marketing), Bella arrives on 01/11/2010, we celebrate 5 years of marriage, first trip as a family to Monterey in June, I began watching Alyssa twice a week, trip to Pismo in September with my family, my dear brother Oleg is engaged to Lilya on 9/25/2010, new Bible study by Priscilla Shirer, I started working for TWPhotography on Mondays, Christmas spent with family, Barry turns 29, Barry got into his first car accident which shook us all up a bit, once again we saw God’s amazing work in it, when we found out that our insurance covers a rental until we found something else. A dear friend of mine Tamara decided she was ready for a ner car herself and sold us hers (Honda Civic 2004) We love it! Sometimes I think that not that much has happened, but it’s quite the opposite. It was my best year yet and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us in 2011, but I know for a fact that He never stops surprising us.
Many people tend to declare resolutions for the New Year and I am not usually the one to say anything, but this year, I pray that God gives me strength to love, when it seems impossible, a power to forgive, courage to trust and to never stop talking to Him.
