The Greatest Decade

2010.  Wow.  Can y'all believe it?!  When I think of just the numbers side of things, it seems like yesterday that we were holding our breaths for Y2K fallout.  When I think of the situational side of things, however, it seems like 2000 was a lifetime ago.  I was a sophomore in college, not even dating Jared, serving as Miss Wayland, and refusing to grow up.  I was 'working' for my college choir director.  (I missed more often than I showed up, that is for certain!)  The circumstances of my life were not the greatest, made so by my own choices.  I can only imagine the massive prayers sent up by my parents during the beginning of this decade.  How sovereign God proved Himself to be. 

Highlights of the decade:  Jared.  Jakob.  Lily.  I loved our engagement, wedding, and honeymoon.  It was all home-made.  Cheap.  Practical.  We were so truly broke.  Although I would re-do the color scheme, the gift registry, and the flowers, I wouldn't change the outcome of June 8, 2002 for anything in this world.  I remember our first apartment was the tiniest thing you can imagine.  What should have been the 'master bedroom' for our unit was the laundry room for the entire complex.  I need to remember that aparment when I feel my current walls closing in around me!  This decade brought Jared and I the gift of debt...yep, the gift.  We have now officially climbed out of the pit and on to solid ground.  What a gift to fight together against a common adversary and come out on top.  God proved Himself to be our Deliverer and our Portion.  We bought our first home after living in more rent houses than I care to remember.  We have jobs that allow us to serve others as a family.  Jakob has been with us at good ole FHS since day #1.  God love him, all of his milestones seem to happen in the choir room.  I'm sure Lily's will too!  I love that, though.  We are blessed to share our days with one another:  good, bad, or ugly.  What a gift the Lord has given our family through Frenship and our 'jobs.' 

As I look back 10 years ago, I see way too many of the same character flaws within myself than I should.  Lack of margin.  Lack of follow-through.  Lack of relationship.  Lack of self-control.  Lack.  Lack.  Lack.  I'm not one on resolutions.  (lack of follow-through and self-control, you know!)  But, this decade I hope to allow the 'lack' to be filled up...to be made found 'lacking in nothing.'  I cannot fathom that when the next decade rolls over I will be the parent of a 13 year old and a 10 year old.  Nuts.  Simply nuts.  One thing is for certain, we lack not in laughter, joy, love, and fun around here, and for those things, I am ever truly grateful to my Father.  Happy New Year, y'all. 

Christmas in Pictures

Since I have been the worst blogger ever in the last few months, I decided to make up for a bit of lost time by sharing a TON of our Christmas pictures in one fatal dose! We truly have had a great Christmas so far. As previously mentioned, this is our first Christmas at home for the whole break, and we may become spoiled! Hopefully, there will be time and energy in the future to tell some of the stories behind all of these pictures, but if not, make up your own version of what you think might be happening in the pics! Okay, enough words...I'm going back to the fabulous people you see below! Happy New Year's-week!

The Hardy Holiday house including an impromptu mudroom!

No longer just dreaming of a White Christmas!

Frosty Hardy

Lily's First Christmas

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning complete with a well-built-with-love-in-the-snow trampoline and a broken high chair!

Merry Christmas!!! (I promise that I was involved in all of these activities even though the pictures don't prove it! I have reached the 'never in another photo, only taking the photo' stage of my life.)

Smart kid.

Merry Christmas from the Hardy Hacienda! While I have so many great pictures and stories to tell from our week so far, one story takes the cake, for sure. This year, Santa brought Jakob a trampoline. Not only was it the only thing he asked for, but it was on sale on Black Friday including the enclosure, and my couch cushions need a break! It takes Jakob quite a while to warm up in the mornings...he takes after me in that manner! This morning, however, we were fully expecting him to be up and at 'em quickly and with great excitment for the tampoline fully assembled in his backyard. Not so much. Here's how it went down:

Everyone: JAKOB!!! Good morning! Merry Christmas

Jakob: *nothing but tired stares*

Me: What did Santa bring you, Buddy?!

Jakob: (referring to the box under the tree and spoken in truly dull tone) a trampoline.

Jared: Where did it come from?!

Jakob: (totally straight-faced and uncaring) Wal Mart.

He did wake up and warm up to things pretty quickly, thank goodness! We hope your Christmas was filled with the light of Christ and the laughter of the season. Merry Christmas!

Christmas STAYCATION!!!

Whew! We made it to the end! Another semester come and gone with much blood, sweat, and tears left behind from the Hardy, Party of 4. While I am so excited for a little break, I'm sad too. You see at our house, childhood milestones are recorded as to which time of year and which contest are going on. For instance, Lily's first real sickness was during Solo and Ensemble assignment week. Jakob first crawled in the choir room during Celebration rehearsals, 2007. I'm sure every house has their way of remembering milestones, but here they coincide with the choir schedule. Drives me nuts sometimes. I mentioned Lily's first sickness. yeah. That would be right now. Miss Thang has been one sick little puppy this week. What started out as a runny nose and small cough turned into many nebulizer treatments and at least 3 sleepless nights. We'll see what tonight brings. This is not be complaining, though. I have seen this week just how blessed we are around here. While there have been some seriously scary moments for us with Lily this week, I had no doubt that she would be fine and we would get through without a scuff or scar. I have been so mindful of other families who deal with these things consistently and without the promise of "everything will be alright" at the end of it. God bless those families.

It has been a nutty few months. Here's the catch up: my parents are moving to San Angelo. Sold their house. Offered on a new house. Punk buyer in Oklahoma backed out, so they had to back out in San Angelo. boo. Join us in praying for them as this is a yucky time of hear to sell a house. We are so sad to be 'losing' our vacation place in Oklahoma. We haven't been anywhere on vacation since they moved to Oklahoma because their house was truly the most relaxing place on this earth. Nevermind the free babysitting! Here are some pictures from their house when we were there for Thanksgiving. Oklahoma, we'll miss you dearly. Welcome back to Texas, mom and dad...we're glad you're here!

Our boss as school is still having some medicals complications from a cancer diagnosis which has put Jared in the driver's seat on and off during this semester. The choirs are HUGE. The success is HUGE. The work is NEVER-ENDING. The reward is ETERNAL. Nothing more to say there. We are blessed beyond measure in our profession...and busy beyond comprehension.

We are staying home this Christmas...a first in the Hardy family. We are staying home for both of the previously mentioned reasons: 1. my parents have no home (well, sort of...you know what I mean.) 2. we are having to work through the second half of this holiday break 3. Jared's brother's family moved to Lubbock 2 weeks ago. We are excited to be able to be with all of our family (minus my sister and her sweet boys. boo!) at some point during this Christmas week. So, Merry Christmas to y'all! Enjoy your break, no matter how short, wherever it is that you and yours land this year!

Best Show on TV

Tonight at a big family dinner, Jared and I were asked if we were into the Office. We responded that we were not. I know that it is a huge show and most people who watch it absolutely love it, but we just haven't ever gotten into it for some reason. Then, we realized that our 'office' is just us. Jared and me. Our Office is more like Glee.

Stupid is as stupid does...

Isn't that how the saying goes? I have neglected my blog for weeks now for two reasons: 1. We have been incredibly swamped, and the internet has been the thing that lost out on time. 2. I had dislocated my camera cord and couldn't upload any pictures. Well, don't you just love when your forced to own up to your own stupidity? Come to find out, our computer has a slot for an SD card. Who knew!? It wasn't until I was trying to find the USB slot to charge the iPod that I saw this strangely familiar looking card slot. Hmmm. I still don't have time today to sit and type, but I DO have time to upload some pictures of two pretty great kids. We've missed you, blog world.

mmmm...peas

So close to sitting all by herself!

Good grief. How do you not fall all over yourself for those eyes?!

Jakob helping to build his new bunk bed.