A fresh, new year!

I have always loved flipping the calendar from December to January!

I love starting over!

2012 is a clean slate.

It's a new year with new possibilities.

It's an opportunity to do things differently.

It's a chance to start anew!

I'm such a sucker for this kind of stuff!

In the craziness of the last several months (or year and a half for that matter), blogging has been one of the furthest things from my thoughts. I just had to push it out of my mind because thinking about all that I wasn't blogging (or writing or scrapbooking or taking pictures) about was causing me so much heartache. I realized that I had to put some things aside because other things simply took priority.

And that's okay.

For awhile I was really bitter and resentful about all I was not able to do because of other family and work obligations. But I've learned it's okay. Really. There is a season for everything under heaven, and my season for blogging had to be put on hold. And I'm learning what a privilege and honor it is to lay some things...some very personal and refreshing and good things...down.

God has shown me a lot over the last several months about what it truly means to serve my family, love my husband, and be humble in difficult circumstances. And I'm grateful that He kept this blog quiet as I wrestled through my emotions and heart issues so that this place did not become one of bitterness or anger.

And our God is one of hope and fresh starts and new mercies!

Can I get an Amen!

I'm hoping to spend just a few minutes each day in 2012 either writing or editing pictures or something having to do with this blog so that it can become a place of refreshment to me, an online family scrapbook for my children and hopefully an encouragement to others!

So, let's start!

I will have much more to write later about our Aust family Christmas 2011, but for now I'll start with a picture of all 15 of us and some highs and lows from our trip.

Highlight: Going sledding and bike riding in one week!

Lowlight: A disappointing and quite pathetic snow accumulation for our Floridian relatives.

Highlight: Driving away from River Falls, WI without any of the 5 of us getting the stomach bug!

Lowlight: Sammy throwing up in the van just minutes from home...and Caleb throwing up later that night.

Highlight: Having all 8 children (ages 16 months to 6) together in one house!

Lowlight: Having all 8 children (ages 16 months to 6) together in one house!

Highlight: Staying up late a few nights to play games and talk.

Lowlight: Remembering that we are all parents now and our children are up at the crack of dawn!

Brad and I had such a GREAT time with his family! I am so grateful for Brad's mom, his brothers, and my sister in laws and the week we got to spend together. I am truly blessed to have them as family!