Post-Christmas Fun

Once we got home from Snowflake, we got back to packing & trying to tie up loose ends before we left the country. We ended up staying with my parents for the last week, & really enjoyed having some extra time with them.

Kylee had fun trying on Grandpa's shoes...

Although balancing in them was pretty hard to do...

While going through my stuff, I ended up finding about 150 letters that my missionary friends had written me. Lincoln was more than happy to get rid of them for me. He even let Kylee help.

Scary Linc...

Kylee enjoyed playing with her Christmas toys while my family babysat her and we packed. 

She fed her baby...

And gave her hugs...

And took her baby for rides in her car...

Kylee even got to wear Aunt Megan's shirt for pajamas one night...

And of course she loved all of the extra time that she got to spend with her Daddy...

We were able to spend time with Brad, Melissa & Nixen, Megan & my parents. We ate out a lot, I was introduced to Modern Family (which I think is hilarious), & we had a fire going in the fireplace almost every night. And best of all, we received some GREAT news...

SHAWN & ASHLEY ARE HAVING A BABY!!! That was the best Christmas gift ever. We can't wait to have another niece or nephew!

Snowflake Visit

Lincoln woke up really sick on Christmas morning. He was so sick that we were thinking about canceling our trip to Snowflake that day. After much debating, we decided to go anyway. I packed up the truck by myself (you should have seen me trying to load the crib in there) & drove to Snowflake while Linc slept. Our nephew Jarod's baptism was that day, & he asked me to give the talk on the Holy Ghost. Luckily we made it there in time! It was so neat to see him get baptized. Linc's sister & her family were visiting from Utah & it was SO fun to see them! 

After the baptism, some of Lincoln's extended family came to say goodbye to us. Lincoln's family gave him an Ipad for a Christmas/medical school gift. That thing is awesome!!! 

The kids had fun hanging out with Uncle Jordan...

(He is such a good uncle!)

Kylee with the Birthday/Newly Baptized Boy...

We met Matt & Danielle's new dogs & introduced Daisy & Duke to them...

The next day both Lincoln & I weren't feeling well, so Linc's parents took Kylee to church with them. She wore her new Christmas dress that was given to her by her birthfather's parents. She looked so cute in it.

On Monday we visited the cemetery to see Jackson's headstone one last time before we moved. Lincoln's aunts had decorated it once again for Christmas. I absolutely love that they remember him this way...

We paid a visit to our friends Craig & Jennifer, then said our goodbyes to Lincoln's family.
It wasn't very fun. I hate saying goodbye.

We drove through Sonic on the way home, & Kylee was loving my fruit smoothie...
until she almost poked her eye out with the straw.

Christmas Morning 2010

We all spent the night at my parents' house on Christmas Eve & woke up bright & early Christmas morning. 

Kylee loved opening her presents...

She got a "Baby Alive" from Grandma & Grandpa...

This baby talks, eats bananas & drinks juice. Kylee loves taking care of her.

My parents went all out this year & got Kylee a car as well. And yes, we have this car with us here in Mexico. It was the cause of my biggest disagreement with Linc during the move. The important thing is that I got my way & Kylee still has her car. :)

After we opened gifts, we went to my Grandad's traditional Christmas morning breakfast. Grandad went all out this year, making homemade bread & fresh OJ, along with everything else that he usually makes.  I was so glad that he carried on with this tradition, even though this was our first Christmas without Nana here. I sure do miss her.

We really enjoyed spending the holidays with family & friends. I'm hoping that next Christmas we will be a little less stressed, so that we can just sit back & enjoy the holidays and not worry about packing & moving & saying goodbye to people. It was still a merry Christmas though!

Christmas Eve 2010

This was the first time in 3 years that we spent Christmas Eve with my family. We ate our traditional dinner of cauliflower soup in bread bowls. It was so yummy! The best part was that the bread bowls were green this year!

We all open one gift from under the tree on Christmas Eve. Kylee got a Pillow Pet from Lincoln this year. The Pillow Pet commercial has always been her favorite, so we figured that Kylee would love this gift. We were right! "Bee" has replaced all 4 of the stuffed animals that Kylee used to sleep with every night. 

Lincoln & I both opened our gifts from Brad & Melissa...

Quiksilver shirts for Lincoln & Roxy shirts for me!

We missed Shawn, Ashley & Aaron this year!

2010 Recap

JANUARY:

I had my 8th laparoscopy for endometriosis.

Lincoln got a job at a pathology lab.

FEBRUARY:

We had Kylee's final adoption hearing & she officially became ours!

MARCH:

We were sealed as a family in the Mesa Temple.

APRIL:

Lincoln & I celebrated our 6th anniversary.
(I was sick that day, so this is the best pic I could come up with.)

I had a hysterectomy, which resulted in a new pain-free life for me!

 MAY:

Our nephew Nixen joined the family.

(Nephew #9 for us)

My Nana passed away.

We celebrated my 27th birthday.

JULY: 

We attended the annual Hiatt Family Reunion in Pine.

We celebrated Lincoln's 28th birthday.

We celebrated Kylee's 1st birthday.

AUGUST:

My family took a summer vacation to Lincoln's family's cabin in Pine, 

where Linc's parents & grandparents joined us.

SEPTEMBER:

Kylee, Daisy, Duke & I spent a week in Snowflake with my nephews & niece.

Lincoln took the MCAT.

We celebrated Jackson's 4th birthday.

OCTOBER:

We visited the Grand Canyon for the first time.

NOVEMBER:

Our nephew Patrick joined the family.

(Nephew #10 for us)

DECEMBER:

My brother Aaron left on his mission. 

(Philadelphia, PA mission)

Linc interviewed for medical school & was accepted to UAG. 

2010 was definitely a year that was FULL of blessings and miracles!
We are so thankful for all that we were able to experience in the year 2010. 

Best of 2010

I started a little blogging tradition in 2009 of posting my Top 10 favorite pictures of the year. 

Here are my favorite pictures from 2010:

#10:

 #9:

 #8:

 #7:

 #6:

 #5:

 #4:

 #3:

 #2:

 #1:

I'm so excited to create new memories during 2011!

I'm Growing!

Well, today I had my first official freak-out. I bawled my eyes out to Lincoln when he got home from his first day of school. What a fun thing for him to come home to. I'm pretty sure a lot of it was just because I was up during the night with Kylee and I was exhausted. Kylee hasn't been herself at all since we got here, and has been extremely needy and cranky. 

Plus, so much has changed in the past week, it just all kind of caught up with me today. Getting used to not being able to read signs or labels, trying to communicate with people who don't speak the same language as I do, Lincoln & Kylee & I plus the dogs all sleeping in the same room, only having one car, dealing with the crazy traffic & honestly wondering if I'll ever have the guts to drive here, not knowing where any of my stuff is, not having a phone, & so many other things that I'm trying to adjust to, have made things stressful for me. Poor Thomas & Jenn have to put up with being around me all day when I feel like this. I'm sure I'm not the most pleasant company to have right now. And now they will know, after reading this post, why I disappeared for a few hours today. :)

After I had a good cry and a nap, I walked to the taco shop with Lincoln, then to my favorite bread place here for some fresh pastries. As I was walking, I was thinking what I will miss about this place in four years when we are back in the United States. I'll definitely miss the weather, and the cheap, fresh food for sale within walking distance, and the trees, and experiencing so many new things every day. And then I thought that maybe I'm not doing so bad after all. I have already found things that I absolutely love about this place. And there is so much more out there that I haven't experienced.

I knew that living in Mexico would really help me grow as a person. I just forgot how much growth can hurt, and how confusing it can be, and the way that it makes you question yourself and what you are really capable of, and how it stretches you and forces you to do things that you don't think you can do. I'm definitely growing. And that is a good thing.

I Made A FRIEND!

We went to church today. We sang the hymns in sacrament meeting in unison with no piano. It was awesome. The spirit was strong. It reminded me that having the gift of the Holy Ghost is a special thing, & because I have this gift, I am able to have the spirit with me wherever I am in the world. What an amazing thing!

These past few days have been exciting, but overwhelming too. Things are SO different here. Some things are different in a really good way & some things are different in a not-so-good way. Regardless, it is a lot to get adjusted to. 

We met an American couple at church today who is brand new here too. Josh is starting school tomorrow with Lincoln, and is wife Heather & I hit it off right away. Heather turned to me 5 minutes after we met & declared me her new best friend. Yay for me! I have a new friend...and she speaks English!!! It is so nice to talk to someone who is in the same situation that we are in.

Today has been a good day.