Ever had one of those...

Years? It's been an interesting year for us. In March of this year Pat graduated college with his bachelor's degree, he also lost his job. In July, he got another job (both of us had been applying and looking like crazy the entire time). In August I got a job that I absolutely love and works perfectly with Declan's school schedule. If Alaina starts going to preschool it will work out perfectly with that as well. We'd only need childcare on Fridays! Harmonious Portraits (my photography business) has been picking up pace and I was also working up at church doing childcare for different events. Then, just in September, I was supposed to graduate with my bachelor's degree. My advisor forgot to mention that I still have 1 natural science class that I must take in order to complete my degree. To say I was devastated is an understatement.

In other news, Declan has finally started sounding words out and trying to read. He's doing really well in school academically, socially, he's "too talkative". I am so proud of him! He makes friends so easily and has his friends at school, church, and home and pretty much gets along with anyone. Alaina has been making strides, too. She now can recognize numbers 1-5 and we're working on her letters. The kids LOVE to be read to so we make a library trip at least once a week and usually walk out with about 10 books!

I came across the realization tonight that sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can start looking up. The pain of changing usually has to be less than that of the circumstances. I know that when this is all over and done with we will have something to share with others that are going through what we've been through.