creative "I'm a flakey blogger" title

Oh hey!

It only took me like 5 months to get back on here. Not bad, right? Well the past is passed so let's go ahead and act like I was never unfaithful. 

2012 was quite the year, to say the least. Since coming up with what to say is what keeps me from blogging, I'll just try to sum it up with pictures. Watch out. A photo bomb is about to go off. 

January: 

A trip to San Diego with the Hickerson fam to see Scott graduate from Marine Corps boot camp. 

Hoo Rah!

He is now in Okinawa, Japan serving a 2 year assignment. We have occasional Skype dates with him where Max demonstrates his ever growing intellect and Zelie shares her slobbery smiles.

February:

We went from 2 babies to 1. But God is good! He blessed us with a growing baby girl!

March:  

Lots of great family taking care of Max and a wonderful husband brought us to our babymoon in NYC.

Grandma Carolyn passed away. She is sorely missed.

Here you can see she was buried on one of the most beautiful days in March. 

April:

We were with Vam Vam when she passed away in Hospice Care in Wichita. 

It was a beautiful thing to be present for. (This was a picture from the previous month.)

Max turned 2! We celebrated with lots of friends and family. 

He's growing up so stinkin' fast!

May:

I promised Kelby that we would use this daily if we just had one in our backyard. 

Pretty sure this was one of 3 uses for the entire summer. 

(As you can see our activity slowed a bit with my growing mid-section)

Proof positive that I can keep things alive aside from humans.

(Note: There are no pictures of this same space in August.)

June:

Kelby totally freaked me out and had a crazy night of who knows what. There's much too much to say about this particular incident but suffice it to say, I still make threats about him taking care of himself because my Spanish degree will go none too far to support a family because, you know, it's all about me.

Max switched over to a toddler bed! 

July:

1. growing belly

2. growing MAX!

3. homemade bedding (clearly)

Princess Zel Bell is born! 7/30/12 7 lbs 4 oz 19 3/4 in and HAIR!

(Here is her nickname progression: Zelie to Zel to Zel Bell to Bells to Bellsy. Makes total sense, right?)

Max adjusts well...at first.

August:

Zelie is baptized by our good friend (and newly ordained) Fr. Richard Kirkham 

Godparents are Adrienne and Dave Timler

The quilt that keeps on quilting. 

September:

Zelie starts sharing smiles with us.

October:

Cold turkey 5K with Mel. Pretty sure I'm still sore from that. At least I survived.

When will I get it together?!

A Cowboy and Indian for Halloween. She was actually St. Kateri Tekakwitha but ya know we can just say Indian since I'm not exactly sure who the patron saint of Cowboys is. 

November:

Evelyn Jane Timler joins team Pinecrest. 

Zelie is overjoyed and Evelyn will be once she wakes up from being such a perfect babe.

Mel and Nick announce the upcoming arrival (June 2013) of BABY DAVISON!!!! 

Do you read "OVERENTHUSIASTIC AUNT" in those exclamation marks?!

Max and Gen compare most reliable-seeming babysitter holds. 

(Oddly, Gen wins in this departamento.)

December:

Dressed up for caroling at the nursing home with moms group. Read: all the moms singing themselves hoarse and trying to make the kids smile at the lovely elderly ladies. 

Becker/Umbehr Grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa. 

I love that you can see all their personalities so well!

The women of varied last names: all one family. 

It's a wonderful miracle that Gma MP is still with us! Take that, brain tumor!

Christmas Eve celebration with the Boeh side of the family always starts with mass at St. Xavier's in Junction City. It always looks so lovely! 

Finishing the LONG Christmas Eve night at with midnight mass at our home parish. Love. The kids did surprisingly well for 1:30 am. (I sang in the choir and Zelie slept in her carseat right by the organ. Maybe that's the key for getting her to sleep through the night...) 

Christmas morning at home. 

Christmas afternoon at the Hickerson Greats house. 

I will call this one "Too Much Christmas"

Max and Evan were actually hiding from "da dwagon"

And it wouldn't be the proper end to 2012 if we didn't spend a little more time in the hospital. 

A few weeks before Christmas, my dad was told he had cancer in his colon. This was from his very first colonoscopy (divine providence!). A surgery was scheduled for New Year's Eve morning. We went and joined the waiting team at the hospital until we heard news that all went well. My dad is home and recovering well and the best news of all is that they were able to remove all the cancer and it didn't spread to any other part from his colon! We praise God for this news! 

So there you have it. Quick and dirty. 2012 was CERTAINLY a year of ups and downs but GOSH we've been blessed beyond belief. We have the love of family everywhere we go, the blessing of friends who share our same beliefs and hopes for the future, two beautiful children on earth watched over by two glorified children in heaven, and the hope of Christ's triumph over death to keep us living each day trusting in Him.