Day 2,376

The First Day and Final Recap

We kicked off the year with a 2019 family workout at Daddy’s gym. It was a bit of an obstacle course due to the owner repainting the floor over the holiday, but we managed to have lots of fun anyways! 

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And finally, a recap of 2018:

It was a year filled with so much growth and praise. The unexpected hung around many corners, surprising us constantly. We had several firsts, lots of change, new understanding, and a faith that further rooted itself in Christ. We look back on 2018 recognizing so intimately the mercy and grace of the Lord and stood in awe of His goodness. What a year it was. 

Claiming the top spot on our “highlight reel” was witnessing our Auntie Morgan come to saving faith in Christ. Her transformation over the course of the entire year is a stunning and beautiful testimony of redemption and we praise the Lord for His relentless pursuit of her heart. From rock bottom, in a world that falsely promises prosperity, happiness, success, and freedom, she was brought to her knees at the Truth that real freedom and life can only be found in Christ and the sacrifice He surrendered on the cross. For the first time in her own life, Morgan’s eyes are open. Her heart is soft. And she’s become truly a new creation. If you know even the smallest part of her bigger story, being able to speak of such change seems so unbelievable and almost unimaginable, but this year has taught me so clearly that nobody is too far from Christ’s reach. And though we have the truth of that plain as day in scripture (immediately I think of Paul), and though I have my own testimony of an undeserving wicked wretch being called to saving faith, witnessing a life in my sister, so far from Christ - and watching her redeemption with my own eyes - is humbling beyond measure and has deepened the faith I have for my Savior. The Lord is so good and I am in constant awe of the love He has for His own. 

Because of the work the Lord is doing in Morgan’s life, 2018 brought some very exciting changes into our own family. We got to celebrate three holidays with family - a first for us - as Morgan moved completely across the country to attend our church, live 10 minutes from us, and be in fellowship with people she knows intimately. Our kids have taken on the thrill and joy of hanging out with her dog, Jack, and absolutely love spending time with him. We’ve been able to host countless suppers with our Morgan and share some of the most raw and deep conversations we’ve ever had with another person. In October, she was there when the five of us Conleys celebrated Bearett’s first year of adoption and truly, it was such a sweet and peaceful time for us all. I still can’t believe it. 

Bearett. Oh, my dear Bubba. 2018 was a year unlike any other in our boy’s life. He grew so much, his place in our family firmly established and rooted with such assurance. He knows himself to be at home in our family and it fills me with a gratitude so deep that it’s happened so quickly. We are so proud of him and encouraged daily by his growth. He’s the toughest, sweetest, most creative boy we know and we’re so thankful to call him our own. This year, he played on his first ever T-ball team. He learned how to ride a bicycle. He got to go into Dad’s clubhouse for the first time. He shot probably 100 lizards, went hunting for the first time, shot a BB gun rifle for the first time, celebrated turning five with TWO birthday parties, learned to jump dive, caught his first foul ball (off Daddy’s pitch!), and maybe the biggest change of all - started kindergarten!! Most of that while rocking a mullet, just like Daddy. 

Amelia’s 2018:

This girl lights up our family and this year was especially fun with her because of her growing vocabulary and quick mind. She’s incredibly intelligent and constantly finds ways to leave Daddy and I looking at each other in speechless disbelief, followed by pure laughter. Amelia became a professional 3-year-old swimmer this year. She learned to dive, jump dive, and flip in the water. She loves swimming so much that her hair once turned green and  she even had to start wearing a swim cap toward the end of summer because of the damage the water was doing to her hair!! She attempted to ride her bike on two wheels, but didn’t master it - though very close. She overcame her fear of riding over the “bumps” in the road on her bicycle, wrote her whole name for the first time, drew a person with all their body parts, and knows Mom’s phone number and address by heart. She also knows probably more songs than any other child her age and has a natural rhythm about her that’s incredibly impressive. Maybe someday soon she’ll overcome her shyness and let me put her in some music or dance classes so she can learn even more!

Ella Mae. 

Kate. Katesy. Mater Kate. Sackey. Bubbie. Jabba. The Jubba. Fat Sack. Little Sis. Stinker. I think she claims the prize as having the most nicknames in our family this year. Ella Mae is one of a kind. She’s our wild child, who’s sweetness is matched by a fiery attitude that keeps us both laughing and shaking our heads. She’s a huge personality and is the source of most of the kids laughter and most of their tears too. She’s spent her life constantly trying to catch up to her big sister and brother, which has been fascinating to witness and so much fun because of how quickly she’s matured. She’s not yet two, and this year, learned to walk, to ride her “bike,” to sing her ABCs, to count to 10, to clean up her toys, to pray, and to swim. She sings countless songs and learns them quickly, loves Gruffalo, and is speaking more and more clearly by the day. She understands the majority of what we ask her to do and serves her Mama with such thoughtfulness. Every morning, she gets off the bed, helps me up by pulling on my arms, runs to the bathroom to open the toilet and wads up the toilet paper for me. She then races around the house, locates my slippers, brings them to me, and puts them on my feet. This all without me having to utter a word! She’s amazing and I’m obsessed with her. She’s still nursing, still teething, and still sleeping with us, though she’s started sleeping in a cosleeper next to our bed in the last week!! Hooray for fewer black eyes for Daddy!

The rest:

- Made our 21st move in seven years 

- Started homeschooling. 

- Spent six weeks in NOLA

- Saw the odometer read 100k miles on the truck 

- Visited 7 stadiums: NOLA, Miami, Boston, NY Mets, Pittsburgh, Tampa, San Diego

- Traveled to 8 states

- Held a baby alligator

- Memorized tons and tons of verses!

- Read 6 books of the Bible during family study time 

- Made one trip to the ER: thanks Bufo frog

- Hired two babysitters, which means we went on two dates! Haha 

- Flew on 15 airplanes

- Daddy finished the Old Testament

- Dad also read four books (!!)

- Moved to the bullpen

- Recorded his first save

- Threw 99.19 MPH

- Mom sprained her ankle

- Created COUNTLESS LEGO creations, including a robot, a shark, a cheetah, a truck, houses, boats, palaces, the Garden of Eden, Heaven, and cars

- Enjoyed nightly “bunny hunting” walks. 

...and...

- GOT PREGNANT WITH OUR FOURTH CHILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What. A. Year. 

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And just for fun, here’s some funny things we overheard the kids saying:

Bearett-

Shouting at a baseball game at Dad: “Punch him in the truck! And lock that door!’

“Mom when you have that baby, it’s gonna be a miracle baby. And everyone is gonna love that baby. You should get our baby a baseball blanket.”

“I’m not a believer. I need to be a believer. And I need the Holy Spirit.”

“Mom, I really want a wife. And one day, I want her to sleep in my bed with me. In my room. What is she going to be like?”

Me: God wrote that Bible

Bear: With what pen?

“Mom, did you buy this whole house? Did you put it in the truck?”

Amelia:

“I need the grass off my strawberry!”

“My eyes are burning like the burning bush!”

“If that doctor gives me shots, I’ll put soap in his eyes.” 

Amelia with two babies in a large pot: “Mommy, I’m cooking babies!”

In reference to me feeling sick while pregnant: “Is she eating your food? Is she killing your stomach?”

“If you do a foolish thing, you’re gonna get whooped by God. He has a big spatula. I’m gonna give him one.” 

“God changed Morgan’s heart so that her songs are your songs now!!”

“Mom, your butt is so fat. It’s so huge. It sticks out.”

“I very like tofu.”

“I wanna go hug Jesus cuz he’s my favorite guy.”

“Mom, don’t pee the baby out or I will be very upset.”

“I want a sparkly pink truck with deer ears!”

“I was passed out in my bed WHOLE TIME.”

“I don’t have to go pee anymore. My privacy swallowed my pee.”

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And finally, some of the kids’ prayers: 

Bearett

And I pray that Morgan has a girl. And that she has children and a boy and a girl. But she has to get married first. 

And Lord, in heaven, there will be no pain or mosquitos. 

And I think Morgan wants to be in our family. Not in the sinners family. Not in Satan’s family. Help her read her Bible because it’s treasure. Your word is like a treasure. 

Lord, I really want to be in Heaven with you, but Jesus is taking his sweet time coming back and I want him to hurry because I really wanna be in Heaven. 

Help me to be graciousfull and wisdomfull. 

Help me to not barf over my potatoes because my Dad will whoop my butt. 

And when Jesus went to Heaven, he went all the way past outer space. In outer space, you need a helmet, so Jesus had to wear one. 

Amelia

And Lord, you are so great. We praise you. Thank you for our traveling. 

And Jesus was killed on the cross and I’m not gonna be killed. He died for my sins. 

We don’t wanna be whooped by Jesus if we don’t need it. And Jesus is coming back to the earth and we wanna go with him to Heaven. 

I very wanna be a colonel. An elephant. 

We don’t wanna be dumb fools, Lord. We wanna be faithful. 

God, are you tired? Is your bed the clouds? NO!!

“And please Lord, if I shot someone, I would tell my mom, ‘I shot someone!’ And if you shot me, I would say, ‘I’m killed! I can’t get up!”

And help Jack Jack have reverence. 

And Adam, when he goes into the Bible - my dad - he’s gonna find Satan and he’s gonna shoot him.

Ella Mae

Jeezus, my food. Lu you. Ameeeeen!!