Me and Mine December // A Year in Photographs

And just like that, another year draws to a close... Amidst the Christmas chaos and New Years preparations, it's such a gift to stop and look back at all our Me and Mine photos from this year! Dave's hair is shorter, Heidi's is longer, Ava is taller, I'm not pregnant, and we have a new little member of our family!

A lot changes in a year!

The year 2015 has been a year of transition - adapting to the arrival of our littlest family member, adapting to a little boy after almost four years of being a decidedly girly zone, adapting to big changes at our church, and adapting to big school.

There have been mad moments, plenty of chaos, and a fair bit of mayhem, but we've steered the course, and as 2016 heads our way, we seem to be heading into quieter waters, at least as far as the children are concerned.

Lots of people have asked this year, how I cope as a Mama to three small ones... how I seem to have it "together"... I don't, a lot of the time. That's the honest answer. There's an awful lot of grace and repentance needed around these parts, but I think that's just family life in general, and actually, adding one more to the mix doesn't really change the level of madness too much. At the end of the day, I think its about recognising your own weaknesses, throwing yourself on God's daily grace, and not being afraid to ask your kids for forgiveness when you're the one who's been out of line...

I also have to admit I'm a routine freak, and I don't know how people have multiple children without one!

It's been a great year. My heart feels pretty full as I look back on 2015. There have been scary moments... I think there always will be once you enter the world of parenthood. You suddenly have your heart walking round in someone else's body. There have been sad moments - losing my last remaining grandparent, saying goodbye to dear friends... But there have been awesome moments too... like holding your little boy in your arms for the very first time... like watching your kids paddling at the edge of the ocean, like looking out and seeing people worshiping God in times of uncertainty and hardship, like standing on the field where your great-great-grandparents built their home, like cherishing those everyday, ordinary moments, that turn into days, weeks, months... and then suddenly a full year has been and gone.

A year of transition. A year of changes. And another year in which we have seen the goodness and faithfulness of God.

Thank you to all of you who have read, commented, supported and contacted me this year. I've taken a little step back from the blog this year - life has necessitated that. I'm not posting as regularly, I'm not feeling the pressure to write, I'm just enjoying this little space of mine on the web, and I'm so grateful for all of you who have encouraged me to keep going with it... inspired me and supported me.

I'm excited to see what 2016 holds for us all!

So here we have a year in photographs...

Me and Mine in 2015!