This year has been one of a great many changes for the Nielsen family. The other day I got to thinking about "where was I this time last year?"- about a million miles and things from here is the answer.
Last year I was in a job (The Army) that was quite literally sucking the very life out of me. I don't think I could have been more miserable. I loved my actual job but the environment I was on was completely toxic and that made for a very difficult existence, not only for me but my family. It had been years since we had been able to come HOME for a holiday and we were feeling pretty burned out. We had no one around to watch the kids, because my old unit whom I trusted and loved had deployed and there was no way I was leaving my child with a stranger.
This year is a complete 180! I am happily taking a bit of time off from the "working mom" gig and staying home with our Baleigh Bean. The kids and I gardened a bit this summer and I found that she is a great helper when it comes to pealing tomatoes are hulling strawberries. She loved picking peppers and collecting basil and fresh tomatoes for one of our favorite summer meals - grilled margarita pizza.
In September, October and November we celebrated numerous birthdays-they happened in quick succession as well. Starting the last week of September he had Cole's (my nephew), My mom's, and then week 2 of October was Thor and Kylie's (my niece). The last week of October was my dad's and then we had my brother Caleb's and Baleigh's birthday in the first 3 weeks of November. Mix that in with the start of AWANA ( a Wednesday night church program), Ballet (for Baleigh every Wednesday), Thor starting school, Halloween, Thanksgiving and our 7 yr Anniversary and you have one jam packed fall.
I feel blessed to have so much family around that has been really helpful to us in the last 6 months as well. We could not have gotten out house to the place it is right now without numerous hours of help from 2 of my brothers (Caleb and Clayton) fixing all the crazy wiring issues it had as well as putting in lots of new lights and switches for us. My dad and mom were also invaluable not only in helping put down the new floor and just this week finishing the ceiling in my kitchen- but they also helped us by keeping the kids at their place during the day for the first week we were here so Jake and I could get the house painted and unpacked with little to no distraction. With all the frustration that comes with moving and buying a home we had an invaluable support system in them and we are so grateful.
I can hardly believe that we have reached the 12 days of Christmas! It has come so fast. This year we are spending Christmas with Jake's family out in Lake Geneva. It will be the first year we have all been together since before the Army. Jake is really looking forward to seeing his brother Jeremy who has been living in Florida for the last few years. He is flying up to see all of us for the weekend and we are thrilled he can make it.
Jake's work shuts down for the week of Christmas so he gets a mandatory unpaid vacation. Not really what you want at Christmas time but we are going to make the best of it and enjoy our time together. : )
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