Best of 2015!

2015 has been a BIG year for us.

Huge.

The year of NEW and CHANGE.

I started this post earlier this week and so far today we've put up all of our Christmas, re-organized all of our Christmas rubbermaid containers to suit us now with the new house, cleaned out the attic and rearranged everything nice and neat. I also managed to cook a big meal, clean the playroom, and we had lots of fun family time. Whew. A pretty productive start to 2016! 

For now, here's a look back at 10 highlights of our year, in no particular order...

// one // 

Surprising everyone with a New Year's Card telling our good news. So fun and certainly a year of much more cheer...

// two // 

Finding out baby #2 was a BOY on my 31st birthday!!!!!! Birthday MADE. Such a fun day!

 // three //

Our big boy Cade turned THREE. Another year, another milestone. We celebrated with a fun pirate themed party at the Children's Museum in Greenville.

// four //

We finally moved into our new HOME SWEET HOME. What a glorious day that was and it has for sure been one of our biggest blessings of the year. Completely changed our life for the better. Oh how we needed it and after years of planning and prepping, God sure did provide. We have enjoyed it oh so much!!

 // five //

Our biggest blessing of the year was definitely this sweet thang right here. Jack Charles McClain was born July 2nd...

and we began our new life as a family of FOUR!

// six // 

Cade started preschool at the ARP Church just up the street from us. He's going to go there for 3K and 4K and he has learned so, so much. He loves his teachers and loves his classmates. He's made so many new friends!

// seven //

Another big move and total game changer...we moved SUGAR! Aaaaah this is why I never want to pack or move a box for the rest of my life. These two big moves in one year nearly did me in but we absolutely love our new location and it has proven to be the BEST decision so far. Love our new views and neighbors. It's great and I have to pinch myself every morning when I walk in.

// eight //

I can't leave this one out because it has also been a TOTAL game changer and new way of life. My mom has worked as a legal secretary for nearly 30 years at a handful of different law firms. Awesome law firms, I might add. Yet, after nearly thirty years she was absolutely positively burnt out. She left the law firm and decided she wanted a bit of a change, she just didn't know what yet...soooo in the meantime WE hired her. She needed to work and um, we needed a sitter. Bad. I had no clue who was going to keep Charlie when I went back to work! So my mom has been keeping the boys everyday (Cade is only in preschool three mornings a week) + basically being my own personal accountant for Sugar. She. is. AH-mazing. I have flexibility with my job and what I do, meaning she has more flexibility (days off, etc...) now too, which is also what she wanted. I know without a shadow of a doubt that God intervened and did all of this so that she could help us survive this crazy year. We are beyond grateful for her and we are going to cling on and try to keep her as long as I can so please y'all don't even try and send her any job postings. Not yet! HA She swears she loves this quality time with her {only} grandchildren and I know they love being here with her. Even if for just a season for her, this is by far the sweetest time ever spent...

// nine // 

New house, new store, new baby, new sitter...I mean we thought "A new vehicle? Well hell, why not?" So yeah, a new whip. Well a {used} new whip. Probably not a big deal to some who switch cars all the time or drive SUVs, but a big step for me after only having an SUV one other time in my entire life (for one short year after driving a Toyota Celica and before my Toyota Camry). I'm a car girl, and even though mine was paid off and I do NOT love having a car payment again, I really do love having an SUV now. It was definitely a big need for our family and will be used and enjoyed in the years ahead.

// ten // 

Celebrating Charlie's first Christmas. Our last "baby's first Christmas" so this was kind of a big deal. It was chaotic, I was so not prepared this year...but "winged it" and the most important part is that there were lots of great memories made! Christmas is always the highlight of any year. Can't believe it's already come and gone...

So that's our 2015 "Top Ten". We have been nonstop, but we SURVIVED! Whew! Not going to lie, I'm pretty darn tired.

I'd like to think of my 20s as just figuring things out... finding my career, establishing my business, getting married, having a baby for the first time. Lots of growing up, lots of firsts, and lots to learn.

Now in my 30s, I feel that this time (especially this year) is meant for taking what I've learned (even about myself) and using that find where we are meant to be and settle down where we are meant to  grow even more (as cheesy as all that sounds). We've established our roots in a new home in a new location where we want our kids to go to school and grow...I've established a new store location where I hope to also continue to grow my business...and we've had another baby to complete our family, "establish" our family, and now grow together as a family of four. 

I look back at the year, simply sit and cry big ol' tears of joy...

and I smile. How could I not?

So very grateful and extremely humbled by God's blessings...and content.

Contentment doesn't come easy. As humans, we are always wanting more, more, more...I'm guilty every single day. Yet while change is good and so is growth, this year I have truly found "my place". We've worked so hard the past 7+ years of our marriage to make these blessings happen this year and with the grace of God helping things fall into place and giving us surprises like our Charlie bug, it just all happened in the same year. A heck of a lot more gray hairs on my head from this year, but God's timing is always, always PERFECT. 

I've learned more about myself and tried new things, pushed myself to go above and beyond. I've worked, worked, and worked some more. I've done things I didn't even know I could do. I've strived for grace, not perfection. I've gained more confidence and continue to care less and less about the unimportant things in life. I've re-prioritized. I've {tried} to carve out more time for the little things...and by little things I mean not only just myself or MY family. It's not just about us. There's still so much more we need to work on and our life/home/business/kids are ALL so far from being perfect. Big strides in 2015, yes, but now soooo many little steps going forward.

We just wanna spend 2016 giving praise where praise is due. God has blessed us abundantly and given us SO much this year. Now we are just ready to settle down and instead of focusing on a move...packing boxes...designing a new store...being pregnant...preparing for a new baby...etc...we just want to sit back, give back, and make memories with all we have, instead of constantly planning and working towards having more. Focus on moments, not things. Sit back and listen to God, asking "what next?" instead of telling Him what's next. To be here, be present, and be happy.

I'm looking forward to it.

"Contentment is the greatest form of wealth" - Acharya Nagarjuna

Here's to a year full of sweet, sweet contentment and sweet memories in 2016!!