2011!

2011 was QUITE a year for the Johnson's! Some highlights...

• We shared our exciting baby news with our families over Christmas of last year and with our friends in January! We also got this sweet first glimpse at the little one we affectionately called "Beanie Baby" for many, many months!

• Jed and his Dad did some hard work revamping our bathroom! They plumbed in a shower, put up a shower surround, took out a window, installed glass window blocks, removed a very (very, very, very) old vanity and installed a new one. I'm so thankful to know and be related to such hardworking, handy (and handsome!) men!

• Jed interviewed for and was offered a new job. The Lord totally came through on this one as his increase in salary provided for us to allow me to stay home with Beanie Baby, which is something we had been praying for!
• We adopted Simon!

• I finished my 4th year of teaching. It was such a bittersweet time and I was so thankful to end this season of my life with a really good class, great co-workers and with wonderful memories. I officially survived 5th grade Field Day and 2 days of YCamp (an overnight!) at 30 weeks pregnant!
• We celebrated our first wedding anniversary on June 18th!
• Growing, growing, growing BELLY!

• Beanie Baby Johnson was showered with SO much love and many generous gifts.

• I had the honor of standing up in 2 weddings this year - in June with my dear friend Julie and Jeremy in Pella, and in September with sweet Haley and Greg! I love being able to share such a special day with such special friends!

• We enjoyed life as "aunt and uncle" and got to watch both Jaylen and Claire turn the big "1" this year!

• We welcomed our first baby on August 12th - Beanie Baby was NOT a boy, as I was totally convinced, but a sweet, beautiful, perfect baby GIRL who we named Lainey Charlotte!

• From then on, we've gotten a bit less sleep but been filled with way more joy than I ever thought possible! Children are truly a gift and a blessing, like the Bible says. Ever since August 12th, we've done A LOT of staring at this sweet face...

• Claire and Emily made the trip to Iowa and spent 5 wild and crazy days here with us. It was SUCH a blast!

• Lainey's MANY firsts...

• We spent the last evening of 2011 attending church at the DTC and then enjoying the New Year's Eve "hoedown throwdown" themed party!

{Lainey was a trooper and lasted until a little after 10. I will say she DID see the midnight hour to ring in the New Year!}

I am so, so, SO excited to see the great ways in which the Lord works in our lives in 2012. Come what may, we will cling to the truth that God is good, all the time and He works in our lives FOR our good to make us more like His Son!