Ringing in the New Year

It's hard to believe that we already turned the calendar over to a new year. I would have to say that 2015 definitely had a lot of ups and downs for our family. And while the downs are oftentimes catastrophic, the ups still far outweigh the downs.

Our favorite pirates are ready to ring in the new year.

We prepared to ring in the new year with our friends in Farmersville, who hosted a family friendly party.  Kyle and I are blessed to have great family members who will keep Grace, so we get many date nights throughout the year. Since Grace was born, we prefer to ring in the new year with her. Some years, she's asleep when the clock strikes midnight, but at least we are all together.

Snuggles with my pirate (and Bruce, of course!)

Grace is very lucky to be loved by so many, especially children. The kids at the party were so glad to see her, and enjoyed playing with her. They made pirate hats and princess crowns. Although Grace is definitely our princess, she and her daddy made matching pirate hats together.  They were a huge hit.

Lots of pirate fun!

The kids put on several plays and musical acts throughout the evening, and I felt blessed to get to read princess stories to the girls.  Kyle said he even got to hold the newest addition to our group, baby Caroline, who is only a few weeks old.

Sleepy baby Caroline with her mommy and daddy.

That night, we shared good food and great friends as we prepared to count down to 2016. In actuality, we counted down when the ball dropped in New York City at 11 p.m., but that was still good enough for us before we made the drive back home.

These princesses sure know how to party!

In 2015, our families and our communities helped us to raise approximately $100,000 for INAD research at Washington University. This year, we will ask for your help in raising even more awareness about this devastating disease. Keep an eye on our blog for some exciting things to come, and we hope you will continue to follow "A Grace-Filled Journey" in 2016.

From our family to yours, best wishes for a happy, healthy new year.

MLH