Summary of our year in pictures.

 In looking over the year, I can see how horrible I have been at capturing moments (big or little) in photos. The ones I did get (or steal!) are below.

 It's difficult to sum up some events from the past year, but for those that can be documented, here they are: 

December. . .

12/31/09
thank God for an amazing photographer.

Can two people be any happier?

January. . .

Honeymooning in Riviera Maya, Mexico where I spent most
of the time sick in bed, the waves were cold, the legal drinking
age is 18 (!!), and there were more mixed drinks floating on trays
than I knew existed.

the sun was a nice change from January in Cleveland,
though. . .

In February. . .

. . .we welcomed this little  (and he was little. . .
 then-- 9 weeks, 10 pounds)  munchkin (and headache) into our family.

Gosh,  he is pretty cute.

March. . .

In March we discovered his all-time favorite chew
toys: underwear and t-shirts.

Also, by March his best friend was the squeaking stuffed duck
Peter bought him (that had to be taken away at night or else
no one slept).

He especially enjoyed getting tangled in curling ribbon. . .

This year we enjoyed a Greek Easter feast at friends Bryan and Kate's.

Springtime, Peter spend a lot of afternoons in my dad's shop
at my family's in Medina
primping the Bimmer for summertime.

In May we took a short weekend break and visited Peter's
long-time friend Chris in Columbus. . .

I also threw a bachelorette party for my sister.

June. . .

5 June, Peter and I stood beside Daniel
and Ashlee as attendants and witnessed the most beautiful,
sincere, covenantally-minded wedding.

A complete surprise, early June,
we found out we were expecting. . .twins.

July. . .

We celebrated Peter's  birthday with
Daniel and Ashlee, only minutes away from
the hospital he was born at, 23 years ago. 

The dreadful surgery to straighten and connect
his collarbone.

Tis the season for weddings! Peter was also a groomsmen in Chris and Lindsay's wedding in July. 

Loxley continued to grow (as we'd hope. . ;)), and despite
his age and prior experiences,  he still found chewing electrical cords
appealing.

We had lots of outings through the summer, savoring each
moment with my family before their big move to Detroit.

In August. . .

. . .we vacationed in Virginia with my whole family


(the week before Peter lost his job). . .

. . .and this precious little girl was entrusted to me. . .

In September. . .

. . . I became a green drink fanatic. . .

. . .and Peter was in yet another wedding.
Congrats, Paul and Em!

October came and we both stood beside Jonathan and Chloe
as they covenanted before God and man. . .

. . .I also visited my family in their new house
in Michigan. . .

Nearing his 1st birthday, Loxley had grown into quite a. . .
man, er, dog, and was beginning to lose his puppy face.

Peter also worked on quite a few projects
 around the house while the weather was tolerable.

We spent Thanksgiving at Peter's Aunt Paula's in Pennsylvania. . .

Thank you, thank you, Rachel!

And Christmas was at my family's in Michigan. . .

I turned nineteen. . .

One more year as a married teenager. . .

. . .and 1 year as husband and wife!

That's about it. 7 weddings. Tons of babies on the way. And huge hopes for 2011.

-A.H.

This husband of mine.

Lately I've been sad about the pain, suffering and sin in this world.  I'm sad for the women trapped in abusive relationships, afraid to tell and seem to see no way out of the dark tunnel. For the unhappy men smothered by contentious wives. For the murdered babies and children born into loveless families and a lost and godless world. For the men, women and children suffering from diseases. For the starving, the homeless, the stray animals, and that lonely, single man riding the RTA at 10:30 on New Years Eve with no family to go home to, or no home call home.

They've been on my heart lately, and I've cried for these people daily. Then I hit my knees and remember that only by grace I am who I am and where I am. And I know I'm blessed.

And in the same breath, I am so happy, so grateful, for who the Lord has given me-- a husband that is so very patient (if I could posses a fraction of his patience I would be a better person) and full of grace (again, me: not gracious when talking to the librarian or when falling). That suffers long, will fight and die for Truth, that is incensed when women and children are mistreated. That comforts me when I think I cannot cry another single tear. I'm grateful that he will never leave--even to the grocery store-- without freshening up, that he'll never leave home in pajamas and that he doesn't even own a hoodie and sweatpants. I'm thankful that he's a detail-kind-of-guy when it comes to cars or remembering a relative we'd forgotten when Christmas shopping, that he has an opinion on the color I paint my toes and dye my hair, how I fix my makeup and the way a belted tunic looks with jeans and my figure. I'm thankful that he's a visionary with the mind to plan ahead without neglecting to trust. I'm thankful that he's a diligent employee, that he feels slothful when he's not working, that he possesses a reputation and skill that can be depended on. I'm thankful that he studies and studies, writes and writes, edits and edits long into the night, not settling for decency but continually striving for excellency. I'm so grateful that difficult things never intimidate him, rather he plunges headfirst. That he never settles. I'm thankful that he persevered and won me. And that I am his.

So, here's to you, Peter McCallum-- my beloved and best friend. Thank you for being all that you are.

-A.H.

a Christmas gift from my sister and her
husband

I love love these little birdies.  Ashlee shared our story with the woman who makes them and she agreed to create a custom pair just for us. I have a feeling these won't be getting put away with the rest of the Christmas decorations. . .

-A.H.

One year. Nineteen years old.

Friday we celebrated an anniversary that came upon us faster than we ever imagined it could.  We've been married 1 year now, and have been through more than we thought could even happen to two people in one year.  We have been tested, sharpened and refined, bent and broken in unimaginable ways and our marriage is stronger because of it.  Granted, I never would have wished this list of things upon us, but we are so very grateful for each and every thing that happened in 2010 and the way the Lord has closed and opened doors, given and taken away.

We had a fabulous bottle of a Domaine Tempier Bordeaux with an assortment of cheeses from Whole Foods before leaving for our 10:15 dinner reservation at Fleming's Steakhouse, where we made a list of what we've lost and gained, everything that has happened to us, in the first year of our marriage.

To name just a few:

• Peter got a raise and promotion
• we honeymooned in Mexico, where I spent nearly the entire time sick in bed
• we got a puppy
• Peter was excommunicated (long story)
• I was in a car accident
• we attended 6 weddings this year. Peter was a groomsmen in 4, I was an attendant in 2.
• Peter was thrown 40 feet from a dirt bike and broke his left collarbone
• I got pregnant
• Peter had 4 hour surgery to have a plate and 6 screws put in his shoulder 
• I miscarried Hugh and Leif
• Peter lost his job
• I became a full-time nanny
• Peter started school

Perhaps one day I will post the full list Peter and I have come up with together. . . for now, there's a taste.

On our way out the door to dinner, my sister called and surprised us by saying she, her husband Daniel, and their friend Carolyn, were in West Virginia on their way to our house for the weekend.

We had a quiet dinner and savored every bite, then met Ashlee, Daniel and Carolyn back at our house.  We rang in the New Year in our living room, talked and laughed well past 1am, then hit the hay for a busy New Years Day.

Wedding flowers turned out more beautifully than I had anticipated, and the wedding was emotional and reminiscent of our wedding day with the same colors and all. After the dinner reception, we hurried back home for my belated 19th birthday celebration with a few close friends.

the classic "fake laugh" with long-long-time friends
 Jamie & Jesse

these girls will never get old-- we've been friends for
as long as we all can remember and were home schooled
together, did gymnastics together, went to church together
swam together, were together when siblings were born. . .

Jesse, Jamie and their men: Phillip and Thomas.

Jamie sharing stories of her long trip to Africa where she
helped a man who had been attacked by a crocodile.

19 candles. . . 

. . .out in one breath!

-A.H.