A Wrap-up on 2008

We finished out the year 2008 with a bang! On the Saturday after Christmas, we celebrated with Dave's family here in Charlotte. It was fun to have everyone together and to have a chance to use our new Christmas china too!


Here we are cooking in our new aprons, getting ready for lunch with the Bachmanns!

In keeping with tradition, Dave made Savannah wear her stocking after opening it. She seems to be saying "Daddy, please, this is so silly."

Alyssa and Savannah. They don't come much cuter!

The Bachmanns and Weningers

After going to church on Sunday, where Savannah threw a complete fit not wanting to stay in her Sunday school class and ended up in big church with us, we decided to go ahead and take the Christmas decorations down. Good thing we did, because Dave was up all night pretty sick with the stomach virus. He stayed home from work on Monday so it was pretty bad! (There is another example of God at work! Surgery was originally scheduled for Monday. It would have been next to impossible to have surgery with Dave so out of commission.) Trying to get Savannah out of the house for awhile, we ventured to Discovery Place on Monday morning. Then it was off to my doctor's appointment. At least now I know that when in a bind, Savannah is a perfect angel in the presence of a doctor!

I also had an anesthesiologist appointment on Tuesday, which I thankfully had a sitter for! It was long and boring, but one more step towards surgery on Tuesday. Speaking of, we're still set to go next week. Hopefully I have all of my ducks in a row and will be ready to be away from home for 3 days. My mom is coming on Monday night and staying through Thursday morning. Then Dave's mom comes Thursday afternoon and stays through Saturday. It will be so nice to have someone to keep my sweet little girl entertained for a few days as I'm not sure how out of commission I will be for awhile. Anxiety is starting to build each time I think about the surgery, but I have to remember that He is in complete control, that He already knows the outcome, and that He has this precious baby in the palm of His hands. As my friend Jenny said this week, it doesn't matter what the doctor says, God is bigger!

Wednesday we finally made it back to Savannah's My Gym class which was perfect timing! During the afternoon after naptime we got out another Christmas gift, the Play doh set. I could hardly believe that it kept her attention for an hour straight! WOW! I don't even mind the mess when it keeps her occupied for that long. :)

Dave and I decided to go to bed early last night (yes, we're old) as the way I reasoned it out, today would still be 2009 whether we stayed up or not. At least with going to be early I could be rested and enjoy today! Honestly that's the first time EVER when I haven't stayed up for the New Year, but it sure was nice to get a good nights sleep. Today we've made a trip to Harris Teeter for triples and plan to watch the Clemson bowl game in a few minutes. Speaking of triples, as we wrap up the year, here are our annual coupon savings: Grocery stores $3276.29 and other stores $2165.45 - for a whopping total of $5441.74 just by clipping coupons!!!

What a year this has been. We have had many exciting times as well as sad times, but have seen first hand God at work. I couldn't be more thankful to have such an incredible husband, daughter, and to be blessed with another baby on the way. So, this year my New Year's Resolutions involve these precious people. I plan to work on being a better wife and mommy. To really seek how to be a Proverbs 31 woman who works diligently WITHOUT COMPLAINING. It's a super big challenge, but I'm up for it.

Happy New Year to all of our family and friends!