Happy 2020!

Lengthy holiday letters seem to be a thing of the past. Nowadays, I’ve heard them categorized as narcissistic, but there was a time – before social media – where they were commonplace. A time to catch loved ones up on your year; both high and low points.  Reading holiday letters from my older relatives (the only ones who still send recaps) is one of my favorite holiday traditions.  I encourage all of you to start (or not, but if you do, I will definitely enjoy reading and sharing in your successes and empathizing with your struggles).  Communication is what brings people together – and we need empathy and togetherness.  Okay…moving on:

 

This year was an eventful one for us.  The highest point, I suppose, was that we brought home our two precious babies after a wait that felt like forever.  We attended the AFC championship game in January in Kansas City, very, very pregnant, but luckily did not give birth – unluckily did not see a win.  On 2/10, my water broke and caused me to deliver our babies in the wee hours of February 11^th. They were small little guys, but overall very healthy. I’m not really sure what happened the two months after that. It was a whirlwind, trying to get used to two infants in the house, doing our best to keep them happy and healthy.  We celebrated our five-year wedding anniversary in May and were able to reflect on the past five years. Filled with ups and downs, we’ve enjoyed the ride thus far.

 

The walls started closing in on us as the babies started to become mobile, so we upgraded our living situation in November. We haven’t sold the other house yet, but are hoping that’s a February 2020 thing to do.  Very thankful for our new digs as it gives us space and a little room to grow into, as well.  Justin joined the company for whom I work in October – switching from a much larger company to the company where I’ve worked the past eleven years of my life.  As of yet, we haven’t killed each other and the joke “She’s your boss at work AND home?!?” has not lost its humor.  It’s just as pleasant to hear as “You’ve got your hands full” when I’m out with my babies.

 

I love the twin comments. I’m in some “Mothers of Multiples” clubs and apparently it’s commonplace to tire of the comments about twins. It doesn’t bother us. I like taking the time to educate people on why a boy and a girl cannot be identical and I think their commentary is all in good fun.  My one thing that is a bit “Eh” is when people state… one boy and one girl! Perfect, you knocked it out in one try and you’re done!  Most of you know me well enough to know that I’m open and honest, so I then start telling them about my two frozen babies that I worked my ass off for and perhaps we aren’t done. Things are different for us, and while I am so, so thankful about the way this has unfolded, thus far, there are reminders that we can’t just get busy after a bottle of wine and pop out a baby 9.5 months later.

 

We took a trip in 2020 and learned that Vegas isn’t for us anymore – maybe in a group setting, but if we get to go on another trip alone, we will likely do an all-inclusive in Mexico or a skiing vacay in Colorado.

 

Isabelle and Carter have been sick, often.  But, thankfully, they’re almost a year old now and able to deal with it fairly well.

 

Our main goals for 2020 are settling into our new home and getting organized in order to enjoy ourselves.  Justin’s currently working on some TV mounts for TVs that we don’t watch.  But, damnit, they will be mounted when we’re ready.  We got offered a speaking position at a mid-MO fertility conference in April and will be doing that which will be interesting.

 

Isabelle

Loves: Bananas

Hates: Being constipated

 

Carter

Loves: Food

Hates: Being hungry

 

Justin

Loves: All sports (and probably me)

Hates: Me asking him what he loves and what he is thinking about every second of every day.

 

So happy to ring in the new decade as a family of four and hope that this decade brings us just as much happiness as the prior!

 

(I gave up on sending my cards. They’re sitting on my kitchen counter.  Maybe 2021.)!