Closing up 2015.

By far 2015 has been the hardest year of my life, and I think I can speak for my husband too & say he would agree that it has been the hardest year for him as well. It was also a year of immense blessings. How can the hardest year of our lives also be one of the most blessing filled years of our lives too? I guess that is God's sense of humor or a way to balance out the evil in this world.

I graduated in May, and started my first "big girl" job in August. Teaching is so, so hard but oh so rewarding. Some days I come home and wonder if I am even making a difference or teaching my students anything. Then other days, it feels like you made a giant break through and then you're reminding why you teach. Getting my first teaching job at Caudill was such a blessing. I love the people I work with and I love those kids!

Dion went back to school and I am so proud of him. He has big goals in mind and I know he will achieve them all. On top of school, he works full time at Ashland Elementary and the kids seriously love him. We saw so many bumps in the road with trying to get Dion back into school, but God showed up, like He always does, and made a way.

In July, we started IVF. My sweet husband shot me up every single night with the injectables. We were so hopeful and so scared. Then October came. It quickly went from the happiest month of my life to the worst month of my life. We were pregnant, then we weren't. We loved that baby, and we will always love that baby.

God & I had some tough conversations. But I can honestly say, closing out 2015 that I have never been closer to God in my life. It's funny how He does that, takes the worst situation and makes something good come out of it. You never believe that when you're going through the tough stuff that something lovely and wonderful will come out of it, but it happens. Dion and I have been through so much this year, and he loves me so well through it all. It's odd how tragedy brings you and your spouse closer together. I would not choose this life with any other person. God has been the center of everything we are going through- at first it wasn't by choice. It was like, okay God you're the ONLY one who can help us so we may as well. Now I know I wouldn't want anything else at the center of my marriage.

God has big promises for Dion and I going into 2016. I trust God to see us through each and every promise He has made. If 2015 did anything for me- it made me strong. There is a lot I didn't think I would make it through, but I did. 2015 made my marriage strong. And most importantly 2015 brought me closer to my Savior. I can't say I'll miss ya, 2015, so bring it on 2016!