blogging again & highlights of twenty ten...

hello!!!!! i know it has been a long long time! but im back and this time is for good!!!

after an unintended very long blog break, I am back to blogging and i am super excited about it!  one of my new year goals is to continue my blogging.  it is kind of awkward to return and try to figure out how to catch up on where i left off.  so much has happened over the past few more than a few months that i want to share.  but for now i will just post the highlights of this past year...

january:

we started off 2010 on a bit of a sad note for us, my sister, julie decided to move back to pennsylvania.  we loved having her in charlotte for the 2 years she was here and we knew she would be greatly missed.

the year got off to a quick start with jaelyn on the move! she was walking and we realized

we officially have four kids on the go!

february: 

 we had a fun snow day! 

and the month was full of LOVE!!! at our church we had LOVE week!  we also had a fun time celebrating elevation's FOUR year anniversary and a very special 30th birthday celebration for our Pastor.

march: 

we celebrated two more special birthdays this month!

jesiah turned 5 years old -  and he had his first sleepover.

here he is with one of his very best friends, corbin.

and jamil turned 34 years old!

april:

we celebrated easter in a huge way.  we were part of a big move of God when elevation held one huge worship experience at the bobcats stadium (time warner arena) in charlotte, nc

 may:

my sister surprised us with a visit over mother's day weekend!!!

we took a trip to the columbia zoo and had a great day as a family!! 

it was actually in april but i am leaving the photo here!

during the spring i started working on my certification process to become a birth doula. 

in may, i was officially "hired" by the first couple who would later in the year have me share in their special day.  they have become a very special family to me!

 june: 

we took a family beach trip to carolina beach.

and not only did i attend my first birth as a doula but i was at two! what special days they were for me!

                                                   july:

jordyn's 7th birthday

and i also had the honor of attending two more births this month! very blessed!!

august:

jordyn accepted Christ and decided to get baptized!!!

such a very special day!!!

and our sweet jesiah starts kindergarten, can not believe my baby boy started school!!

i attended three births this month!!! two of them were extra special! 

the first was friends of ours, the schultzes, they welcomed sweet sweet baby boone!

the second was the the carsons, who i met earlier in the year and they had become very special friends.  

above i am holding their sweet baby girl ana grace

and below bethany is holding my sweet baby girl!!

september:

with my doula ministry off to a very busy star,t i took the month off and 

was able to go on a girlfriend's beach trip

and i celebrated my 35th birthday (ouch!)

october: 

josh turns 10 years old

how in the world is it possible that i am a mom to a ten year old! wow!

and little miss jaelyn turns 2 years old!!

i attended two more births as a doula!

november: 

this month was truly a blur for me...

it was a busy month, we opened our 4th elevation campus in blakeney! 

we attended a panthers game with our friends larry and janet.

despite many blessings and the season of gratefulness, it was a difficult month, honestly,

we had a life changing event occur that i will never forget or understand.

but God has been faithful and everlasting!

december:

jamil and i celebrated our 11 year anniversary!

i attended a birth of a friend from our old church on our anniversary!

but we celebrated the night before so it was all good!!

i was blessed to be able to have a girls night out with 6 of my favorite ladies to kick off the holiday festivities!

we had an amazing Christmas season, we spent a lot of time leading up to the big day at elevation for our Christmas eve worship experiences! what a blessing to be a part of something so big!!!

we had a wonderful christmas holiday.  jamil took a lot of time off from work 

and we were able to enjoy our family and celebrate the season!!!

it is so great to be back! 

i hope that you have each had a wonderful Christmas and great start to your new year! 

i promise to return soon!

blessings ~
dawn