How we survived this crazy year

I've been thinking about this past year and all that has happened. It has been a very busy year, a lot of good things have happened and at the same time I think it has been one of the hardest years if not the hardest year for us.

Brad had PA rotations all year, which involved changing locations, settings, and hours every 5 weeks. Brad got pneumonia in January and I caught pneumonia in February while I was coaching volleyball for the young women at church. Then I changed from my boring office nurse job with a nice predictable schedule to a challenging job as a floor nurse working nights at the hospital. I also was pregnant and taking my online classes to complete my bachelor's in nursing ( I would never recommend anyone do ask that I did because it was insane). Tacy started preschool and played soccer, I finished my BSN a week before Nate arrived via c section because he was a tank. Then Brad gradauted from Campbell with his Masters off Physician Assistant Practice while Nate spent 6 days in the hospital with RSV.

Yea, a crazy year. I am proud for Brad finishing school, I'm happy we survived our insanse crazy schedules and feel so blessed for our friends who have helped watch Tacy. I'm so glad to be done with my BSN and we are so happy to have Nate as a part of our family. I'm grateful we had family in town while Nate was in the hospital so I never had to worry about Tacy, even though I wish wet could have all spent the time all together I know that is what we needed.

During an interview to renew my temple recommend the stake counselor asked me how the Savior and his atonement have helped me during my rough pregnancy (I was 30 something weeks pregnant). I became rather emotional but it was very easy for me to say that I received help every single day. I told him how I know that there was no way I could have possibly done all that I did alone and how the knowledge that my Savior is there to help me through all my trials and that I wasn't alone helped me get through each day, struggle and trial. Now thinking about this whole year I can say the same thing. I know that we made it through each rotation, class, test, illness etc. because Jesus was helping us. I have a strong testimony of the Atonement and how our Savior perfectly knows and understands each and everyone of our trials, tribulations, illnesses, and burdens. He doesn't just perfectly know how feel or what we are going through, but he is also there waiting for us to just ask him to help us get through what we have before us. I know that with Christ we can do all things.

I am very grateful for the Christmas season which helps us to remember and ponder on the importance of Jesus's birth and life and how this affects our lives today. I'm grateful for the opportunities I have to teach my children about Jesus. Tacy always asks me when Easter is because on her head it should come right after Christmas. She's funny but we have talked a lot about how Christ's birth is so important because he lived, taught, healed and then suffered for every sin, trial, and pain and died on the cross only to then be resurrected so that we can all live again.

This has all just been heavy on my mind this month and now as I think over this past year. It probably helps that I have been reading historical fiction series set during Jesus's 3 years of ministry. I also have wondered some about what kind of baby/toddler Jesus was while holding and bouncing my fussy reflux baby (not that that is important).

Anyways, it has been a good year, a very busy, stressful and trying year for which I am happy to have it behind me. I'm excited for what the new year brings with Brad taking his licensing exam, new jobs and moving, as well as Tacy starting kindergarten (holy cow how did that happen!).  It all sounds exciting but also lots of changes for which I am glad I can continue to pray for help.