Goodbye 2011/Hello 2012

We have a million billion things going on around the Odom house this December. Then its GOODBYE 2011 and HELLO 2012!

We're kicking off the last month of this year with a whole week of Josh being off work. We don't have any big vacation plans, just staying home, lounging around, and watching a lot of Christmas movies together under the covers while it gets colder outside. Our decorations are all up except for a little section of lights that Josh has to finish on the outside of the house (maybe tomorrow if its not raining) but I must say our tree looks FABULOUS! :)

Next weekend we're going to go get ALL of our Christmas shopping done. ALL. As in, we're not coming home until we have a gift for everyone on the list. I HATE waiting until the last minute! We've planned a trip to Birmingham on Friday or Saturday so we should be able to get it all done that day. Then I'm going to wrap it all and get in under the tree so that I can sit back and relax while everyone else goes crazy shopping in the weeks before Christmas! :)

This is also our last week off from the doctors office. Starting next week its an appointment each week. I'm not looking forward to that but I am excited that it means that we're SO close to our little man getting here!

With all that we have going on in December, I am sure its going to fly by. I just can't wait to finally get to Christmas knowing that our baby will more than likely be born the very next week! For the most part my pregnancy has been easy for me and I feel really blessed for that. Although I am officially in the final stages now where everything seems to hurt, none of my clothes fit, and I feel like a walking swollen up balloon! I am looking forward to EVERY aspect of this baby coming, including not being pregnant anymore! We just can't wait to hold him in our arms for the first time and begin our life as a family of three.

December also means the end of another year. This year didn't start great for me. Then it got worse. Then it got a WHOLE lot worse. Then it got better. Then it got WAY better. But the one thing I know for sure as this year winds down and I get ready to begin a new year of my life, God used this year to change me. To make me 10 times the person I was in so many ways. And then he gave me two of the most amazing blessings God gives to people.

I am sure I will look back on this year for the rest of my life as some of the happiest moments and some of the saddest moments I will ever experience. But no matter what happens to me from here, I know that I will carry with me what I've learned this year. That God loves me. That He is in control. That He wants me to place Him first in my life. That He will always lead me through His word. That He is capable of SO much more than I could possibly imagine. That if I can truly let go and allow Him to be the central focus of my life in every way, He will fill me with an everlasting joy and peace that is exactly what Christmas is all about. That is what me and my family will celebrate this December.