A Year of "Firsts" and Much "Change"

This year has been filled with "firsts" and "changes" galore!!

We spent the "first" few months trying to make sense of the sudden loss of sweet grandlittle bird, Carter. I am not sure I will ever be able to understand the loss of a child so innocent.

We somehow got through our "first" Easter without him. Last year Carrie was here at the BlessInn celebrating that holiday as an expectant mom of baby #2.

May brought about Will's College graduation. The door for him has opened to lots of "firsts" and "changes". The "change" for us was obviously more "change" in our pockets!!!

Then in June our hearts ached as the calendar rolled around to what would have been Carter's "first" birthday.

I held the "first" Grandy Camp for 3 weeks in June with grandlittle bird, Cailyn. We had a lot of fun, and I look forward to continuing that tradition every summer...but with one "change"...it will only be for one week in future years! Whew!

July brought life "changes" as my honey's parents...Namby and D'dad...moved in with us, followed quickly by littlebird Carrie and Chris and of course grandlittle bird, Cailyn. And...my honey left his job. Now that's some "change". Ditto on the Whew!

In August my honey had his "first" day with a new job. More travel, but he works out of the house...which is a nice "change". :)

October was spent preparing for grandlittle's birthday...the "first" she would celebrate here. It was a fun day for our little "Boo", the Halloween baby!

November brought about another difficult "first" as we had now spent a full year without grandlittle bird, Carter. Another day spent with much heartache.

The anticipation of Christmas, however, helped to "change" the mood a bit. This year was the "first" we would spend Christmas at the BlessInn as last year we traveled to Illinois for the holiday. This Christmas was also the "first" time Namby and D'dad did not play Santa for all the Wilkinsons...a "change" that has been difficult for everyone in the family.

One last "change" for us this year at Christmas was the retiring of the littlebird's Santa Sacks. After about 20 years of waking up to a sack FILLED with gifts from Santa, this year was the last. We did go out with a bang though!

"Change" is hard...and so are "firsts".

I am looking forward to a more uneventful 2011. Bring it on!

Hopefully the only "change" will be my hair color!