So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu

I can think of no better way to write about 2012 than to say, "It was the best of times.  It was the worst of times."

Truly.

After a delightful year of wedding planning (if you've ever planned a wedding, you'll know it is typically anything but delightful), we had a wedding.  A beautiful, fun, dream wedding.

We became the parents of twin girls.  After two years of brutal insecurity, our adoption became final.  No more days of fear or panic about losing the girls.  They would forever be ours.  Forever.

Our Dedication Day at Church the Sunday after our adoption was final.

In August, we had a fabulous family month filled with an adoption party, family photo shoot, and a family vacation to the beach, all sweet precious memories forever etched in my mind.

At the adoption party.  Pictured here with our attorney.

One of our family photos courtesy of the amazing Chip Gillespie
www.chipgillespie.com

Jacob and the girls on the beach.

And then on the day I got home from my vacation, I lost my job.  No warning.  No trouble at work that I was aware of.  Bam.  Universe shift.  And in truth, I am still reeling, still asking questions in my mind, still struggling with so many things.  I can still feel the sudden, breath taking plummet.


When you work at a church, your work life, social life, deep friendships, much of your spiritual life, it's all woven together.  A friend of mine told me that she had lost her job at a church twice and that she was surprised by the friendships that didn't survive and grateful for the ones that did.  I get that.  It's a loss and a significant one.  As I said, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

And then a friend suggested I write, as in, for-my-vocation write.  And so, I'm a writer.  And I have been blown away how God continues to send new clients, new work, repeat business.  I am overwhelmed at how fulfilling it is to write for others, as my vocation.

As part of the result of my job loss, Mike decided to go back to work into captive employment (that's what it's called when you don't work for yourself) and sell his company.  He was able to do both within just a couple of weeks of making the decision, so we felt like it must have been the right decision.

And just like that 2012 is over.  We survived yet another end of the world, and even though there were times it felt like the world was ending, we never lost sight of what is truly important; faith, family, true friendships.  And for that, we are grateful.

All that to say, 2012, we bid you so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu.  We run headlong into 2013, and all that God has planned for us.  See you there.