With a New Year Comes Change

We have so much to be grateful for as we reflect on the past year!  We feel so fortunate that John was able to be promoted to a buyer along with starting his MBA at the University of Arkansas. He does so much for our family!!  I am so grateful to be married to an ambitious husband!

In July I started working at Gymboree Play and Music teaching developmental classes for kids under age 5.  It has been nice to have something to look forward to each week which lets me get out of the house and also to make a little extra spending money.  I also started making fabric button jewelry in the fall and participated in a craft fair in October.  I have had alot of fun creating and selling!!

 Brooklyn has grown so much!!  She is so cute and has so much personality!  She loves being the center of attention and has the cutest laugh I have ever heard.  She will eat just about anything!  And I mean anything.  She also loves bed time.  When we ask her if she's ready for bed she will say, "ya" with a huge grin and take our hand and walk us back to her room.  It's so cute!  She is extremely smart!  She says 30+ words (not bad for 16 months) most of which only John and I can understand what she is saying.  Below is the list in no particular order:
- Kay (ok)
-Ta U (thank you)
-Mommy
-Dadda
-Book
-Baby
-Ball
-Puppy
-More
-Ya
-No
-Jesus
-G'ma
-G'pa
-Brush
-Coat
-All done
-Bay (belly)
-Shs (shoes)
-Toes
-Nana (bananna)
-Pleese (please)
-Uh Oh
-Sof (soft)
-Pree (pretty)
-Nate (every little boy)
-la u (love you)
-Wh go (where'd it go)
-Bye
-Hi
-Eyes
-Nose
-Ears
-Mouth
I wish I could include a sound clip for each.  It's so cute to hear her talk!! Her voice is my favorite!

Our ward split this past week (it has only been 2 1/2 years since the last split) and we are no longer in the Centerton Ward but are now in the Bentonville 3rd Branch (ok it's a branch but we have 250 members and are 90% active... it will likely be only a few months before we top 300 and can be moved to a ward).  The growth in this area is just crazy.  So many people are being recruited to this area to work for Walmart or a vendor.  We feel very blest to live in an area where the church is so strong and only getting stronger!  With this change did bring change to my calling.  I had been with the Mia Maids for the past year in the Centerton Ward and now I will be serving with the Laurels.  I am really excited to have a new group of girls to learn from.  John was called to serve again as Elder's Quorum President.  He had that same calling in the Centerton Ward for the past year or so.  Although at times his calling is very demanding, it has been a blessing for our family!  We have all grown as a result of his serve.

The most exciting aspect of 2013 is that we are welcoming in a new addition to our family this year.  Paxton John should be arriving within the next month!  We are anxiously awaiting this arrival!! Mom has been very busy getting the nursery ready to go!