Our Beautiful Mess: Merry Christmas, Love The Thompsons!

Whoooo-Weeee! This has been a year. Let's start from the beginning!

We started this year out by welcoming Sam on January 22nd! It's crazy to think that a year ago we were still just a family of four. The first few months were rough and all a bit of a blur, but we made it through another newborn stage. Sam REALLY didn't like sleep, and Evie REALLY didn't like relinquishing her role as youngest child. This picture below? Pretty much our life from January to April.

The past year Belle started her first organized sport. Soccer. I don't have a clue about soccer, other than you run a lot and kick a ball into a goal. It's a good thing Belle has Paul, because I really hate running and can't kick anything straight to save my life. Paul coached Belle's team this year. Nothing entertains quite the same as six 5-year-old girls running around after a ball. They all run in a swarm and more often than not the ball is kicked into the wrong goal. We learned a WHOLE lot about Belle while watching her play soccer. She is just as competitive as her mother, and we are going to have to teach her what it means to be part of a TEAM.

Belle also started DK this year (basically Young Fives). This girl is meant for school. I am always fascinated by what she is learning, and how much she retains. She is JUST starting to sound out words. As exciting as it is to watch Belle learn to read, I'll be real sad when Paul and I are no longer able to spell things out that we don't want to say it in front of the kids. Belle might learn early on how to spell a cuss word or two.

Evie is...Evie. The good Lord clearly has a lot to teach me, however He is certainly entertaining me along the way. Evie is at this phenomenal age where everything she says is either hysterical, adorable, or makes me want to wring her neck. I cannot get enough of listening to her language grow. We started 2014 with her speaking "Evie-nese," and now she is telling stories and bossing us around as clear as day.

Over the past year it's been fun to watch Evie balance this role as little sister to Belle and big sister to Sam. She has managed Belle by learning what pushes her buttons, and Sam by pulling him around everywhere and making him laugh. She is definitely my kid that can easily play with Belle or Sam and be equally entertained.

As mentioned earlier, Sam has been my toughest baby. He struggled with reflux, and now we are in the process of getting the poor guy tubes. He just can't seem to kick these ear infections. The kid has definitely had a rough year. I am hoping 2015 is much kinder to him. It has been fun to add him as part of our family, and I could not imagine our family without our chubby boy with a head full of hair.

Nothing major with Paul and I. 2014 started out rough as Paul's department at Meijer was eliminated, which meant he needed to find himself a new position within Meijer or start to look elsewhere. Thankfully, he found a great position within Meijer and we could stay right where we were at. Starting out 2014 with a job loss and a new baby definitely put stress in our lives, but it feels good to close out this year much more settled and comfortable than where we started. Needless to say, we have been growing a lot in our marriage this year. I am beyond thankful for Paul's dedication to his family, and his hardworking spirit.

I am still the ring leader of this circus at home. There are days I truly feel like I am on the verge of losing it, but then there are days where I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I feel thankful and blessed to be at home doing what I love with the people I love the most. Alive, MOPS, crocheting, and church are still the outlets in my life that keep me sane. And I could never live without my loyal friends, unconditional family, and a good bottle of wine.