Happy New Year

i'm sure everyone was just waiting with bated breath for our new year post.  as usual, we're more than fashionably late.  but we've arrived.  here we are 2013.  here we are.  we had just about the least eventful, most low-key new year celebration in the existence of the world.  and i was just fine with that.  i don't remember new year's eve day but i'm sure it was spent with our little family of 3, living it up and rolling around on the floor.  maybe we watched 14 episodes of gossip girl.  no one can be certain.  in the evening we got to swing by the poston's to visit their little family along with the websters, all whom we love.  we would have liked to stay longer [or all night] but little one was not interested in staying up to watch the ball drop, she was hankerin' for her bed by around 7:30.

ben and i just vegged a little at home, got comfy, spent some good quality time together.  around 11 we looked at each other and questioned whether or not staying up until midnight was really necessary.  we bit the bullet and stayed up if you're wondering.  i wore lipstick to compensate for the fact that i was also wearing sweatpants.  when the clock struck twelve, my car turned into a pumpkin, we toasted with sparkling grape juice in plastic cups [because we like to party] and i got a little smoochie smooch.

it's crazy to think that another year has gone by.  i know i sound all old and cliche but it really blows my mind how quickly our lives are moving by.  we're already twenty-seven.  i feel like a twenty-one year old.  our little bean is 5 months old & has just experienced her first thanksgiving, first christmas, first new year.  we've been married for 4 years now and in this house for 3 - it kind of seems like just yesterday.

happy new year from emmie collins!  those are 12 month pants that are squeezin' her hips.

ben and i talked and dreamed a little about the new year.  we have some relaxation goals [TRIPS!], we have some project goals [spiff up this house], some professional goals [stay employed, be certified to teach, learn my new position], but more importantly some spiritual goals are weighing on me.  i constantly think about how i want to be a woman of the Word, a prayer warrior, a faithful disciple, a wife that builds up her husband, a momma that always points to Jesus & a minister of the gospel to little h.s. girls & my friends but...i fail.  i spend a lot of time thinking about how i wish that were my reality instead of actually taking steps to make it my reality.  someone told me once that if you want to become a mighty woman of prayer you have to start praying.  sounds simple right?  but i think i live a lot of my life thinking that someday i'm just going to morph into those roles instead of putting myself in a position where i will grow into that woman.  i think what my friend said is true of all of my hopes - not just prayer.  i've just got to do it.  i have to make loving the Lord and loving people my top and truest priority.  i still need to flush out practical ways for that to be included in my everyday but i want nothing more than that.  i want to know the Lord for real, not just talk about Him or do things "for" Him.  i want genuine faith & dependence.  i want that to overflow & pour out over my whole life.  i want it to impact my life daily, my relationships, my heart, my family, eternity.

maybe someday soon i'll write about the other dreams we have for this upcoming year.  they all pale in comparison to seeking out the God of the universe [duh!] but they are things that we're excited about nonetheless.  it's kind of fun to dream right?

this isn't from new year's but look how precious!