I'm sitting in the middle of my house--a house that is in complete disarray due to budget-friendly renovations--fighting a now 3-week sinus infection and feeling what must be every possible ailment of third-trimester pregnancy. Everything hurts. My head, my ears, my eyes, my throat, my back, my legs, my "round ligaments." Not sure what those are, but they hurt. But, it's New Year's Eve, and for a sentimental girl like me, that stirs up all sorts of nostalgia.
Crazy to think of all this last decade has brought about. It started with a bang--graduation from Carolina in 2000. And while I thought that was a big deal (and it was, mostly because of the God-given friendships that came from those four years), it was only a start to the blessings that followed.

2000 - Graduated from UNC and headed straight to graduate school.
2001 - First year teaching. Got an interesting phone call from an old friend named Stephen. He told me that I was his "biggest what if" and invited me to visit him in Florida.
2002 - Fell in love with that old friend.
2003 - Married that old friend and moved to South Florida.
2005 - I became a mommy for the first time. Kate was born in October and changed my life forever. For the better.
2006- Found out what it means to really trust in God's goodness.
2007 - Samuel joined the family. My little man...be still my heart.
2009 - Learned that Benjamin was on his way and fell head over heels in love with a Burton boy for the third time in my life.

So while I feel a little miserable at the moment, I am hugely blessed, and those blessings make every ache and pain worthwhile.

To all my friends and family, we pray for a blessed new year. Can't wait to see what the next ten years will hold.