Goodbye 2013

Oops!  December flew by with barely a blog post!  My bad!  I think December has been like the rest of the year....gone in a flash.  I've barely had time to breathe this month.  But, I'll get to all that later.

2013 had its fair share of ups and downs.  The year started a little rocky for us but as usual, hope and happiness sprung back to the top, and here we are eagerly anticipating an exciting 2014.

We survived the bleak and cold January in Indiana.  In February, we all enjoyed some desert sun for a week with Gramma & Grampa in Arizona.  Elena turned 18 months old, which now seems like eons ago.  In March, it felt like we finally received some positive news after our initial visit to Dr. Roman (Elena's vision specialist in Pittsburgh).  April brought warmer weather to Indiana, which is always a mood booster!  May was my second Mother's Day and I was able to capture four generations in pictures with my Mom and Granny Velma.  My present this year was purchasing our new house, which was bought as an uggggly duckling and should be becoming a swan in a few weeks!  In June we enjoyed fun and sun, first in Martha's Vineyard with some of our best friends.  Then, later in the month we traveled to Santa Barbara for a vacation from our vacation! :)  July always brings celebrations.  Elena turned the big T-W-O and I relished my last birthday in my young and hip twenties.  Our summer ended in August when Elena began therapy twice a week at The Jackson Center.  And we found out I was expecting!  September came and went quietly, mostly.  Elena endured the first of likely many surgeries on her hip in October.  Thankfully, we have been happy with how well everything went and continues to go for her hip.  November was a whirlwind month with trips to Pittsburgh (back to see Dr. Roman), Louisville (to see another specialist) and Seattle to visit with dear friends.  And finally, December!

December has been a month of preparations.  Elena prepared for many weeks for her role as an angel in the Jackson Center Christmas Program.  I spent time planning for presents, meals and all things Christmas.  We had a wonderful Christmas.  For once, we stayed put and enjoyed being able to relax and enjoy the holiday instead of traveling on a strict time schedule!  The last couple weeks we have been frantically cleaning out and cleaning up our house to go on the market, actually today!  Much like 2013, we are ready to close the chapter on this sweet little house and settle into our new life in Zionsville.

And while it's true, we end the year with what feels like an overflowing (or overwhelming!) plate, I can't help but be so grateful for where God has placed our family.  Things just feel right, like we are where we are supposed to be.  It feels good to be starting a new chapter of our lives together in a new town, in a new house, preparing to welcome a new member of our family and cherishing our sweet little girl (and you too, Pete!).  We could not be more thankful for all that God has blessed us with this year.  This past year I have learned that life rolls on, whether you're ready for it or not.  All we can do is just roll with where it takes us, find the good amidst all the bad, love each other through every struggle and trust in our faith that we'll end up with the sun shining and the good Lord by our side through it all.  So far, I'd say that's pretty much how it happens!

Thanks as always to each and every one of you who continue to follow our story, praying us through every step.  We know there are still so many of you who think of our Elena daily and we could never say thank you enough for every prayer you say for her.  She is our inspiration and the light of our lives and we are blessed that we can share that very special piece of her with all of you.  God Bless and Happy New Year!

An Early Christmas Present

We received an early Christmas present this morning.....

We learned that sweet little thing is Elena's little brother!  We'll be expecting him to arrive later this spring!  We couldn't be more thrilled or feel more blessed.  2014 is going to bring many changes to our little family.

For today, we're just hanging out on Cloud 9.

Whirlwind November

The last three weeks have been a complete whirlwind!  Actually, the entire month of November was gone it what seemed like three days.  I'm just now catching my breath and turning focus to December and all things Christmas.

In the month of November we supported the Ronald McDonald House, traveled to Pittsburgh, took Elena to a doctor appointment in Louisville, hosted my parents for ten days, welcomed a nephew, traveled to Seattle, endured a bout of food poisoning and celebrated Thanksgiving......WHEW

So, let me rewind a bit.  The Frey family welcomed its newest little member on November 20th, Samuel Vincent!  We were all so excited to meet him.  Elena got to go to the hospital and hold her new cousin.  It's all been very exciting!  He's a sweet little guy.  It's hard to remember Elena being that little...makes me wish for her to stop growing up so quickly.

Soon after Sam's arrival, we jetted off to Seattle to visit our good friends for the Thanksgiving holiday.  We had such a great and relaxing time.  Seattle is such a cool city and makes us often question why we live in Indianapolis :)  I would be quite content to live close to mountains...and no, southern Indiana doesn't count as mountainous!  Elena enjoyed all the attention her buddy Holden, who is just a few weeks younger, gave her.  He loved giving her kisses (with Dad present, of course), hugs and brushing her hair.  It was pretty sweet.

All was great until we woke up to leave Thanksgiving morning and found ourselves doubled over with food poisoning.  We were unable to change our flight without forking over $2000 so were forced to travel the 8 hours back home deathly ill, with a two year old.  Elena was an angel and did great, which was a miracle considering Chad or I could barely care for ourselves.  It certainly made for an interesting Thanksgiving!

Now, on to Christmas!  Elena stars in her first Christmas program tonight at the Jackson Center.  I'll be sure to post pictures and videos of her breakout performance later this week.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and took time to remember just how much we all have to be thankful for!

 Laney & Sam

 Aunt Emmalee & Sam

 Family pic in Seattle

 @ the Chihuly garden

  Pretty shot of Mt. Rainier