Merry Christmas

Well today I thought I would put our Christmas letter on here.

This year has been filled with several blessings.  We are lucky to have lots of friends and family who bless our lives each day.
January: Noah decided to wrestle he had practice each week and got better each week.  He was very excited for his first wrestling meet in February.  It was on December 31, 2010 I found out I was pregnant. We got to celebrate the new year with a thought of a new one. 
February:  Noah finally got to have his wrestling meet!  He did very well for his first time.  He tried his best and that is what we wanted him to do.  However, he did decide that he didn't want to wrestle any more after this!

March: Didn't do much besides try to get all of the snow to melt!  Noah also joined a Tee-Ball team in Urbandale.  He loved it on most days and it was so much fun to watch him practice and play!
April:  Noah got to have his first real slumber party.  He had so much fun with Louis and Garrett.  Those 3 boys played and played!  I also applied for a job at Johnston High School doing the same thing I was doing at Winterset High School.  I didn't think I had a chance but I walked out of the interview knowing that I did my best!  By the end of the month I had been hired.  I was about to embark on a new journey.  I was sad that I would be leaving all of my Winterset friends as I didn't want to leave them but I knew that Johnston would be close to home for me and I wouldn't have to worry about driving each day and be closer to my family.

Noah, Garrett and Louis at their slumber party!

May: Well I got to celebrate another Birthday, which is a good thing!  By this point I was around 5 months pregnant and we knew we were having a baby boy.  Noah was so excited that he was going to be a big brother.  This also started the time of softball season for me.  This was the first year that I knew softball might take a toll on me but I had grand plans to take it easy.  We also went to see my Mom and Brent with Peggy and Craig.  We had a wonderful little family trip and it was nice to have both sides together.  Noah also started playing Tee Ball.  He did a great job!

Noah fielding a ball!

Hitting off a tee!  He got pretty good at this!

Mom (Kelly), Peggy and I

Everyone must take a picture on the rock at Nan's Cabin.

June:  Noah finished up kindergarten and was ready for summer!  We didn't take a big summer trip this year with me being pregnant.  But Randy had his motorcycle out and was ready to go riding.  I was in full of coaching softball.  Our team was doing great and so was I.  There were days I was exhausted but thanks to my wonderful head coach he always was worried and let me take breaks when needed!
July:  We started to plan for Noah's 6th Birthday Party.  We had grand plans of having everyone over to the house for a BBQ and some water balloon fights!  However, right after the 4th of July, I went in for a doctor's appointment and was told my blood pressure was too high and that I had to be on bed rest well this was after they made me spend the night in hospital.  I was very bummed that I had to be put on bed rest, this meant no more coaching for me.  The hardest part about no coaching was that I really didn't get to say good-bye to anyone as I wouldn't be returning to Winterset in the fall.  Alright so in the next week of me being on bed rest I had to go to the doctor's office several times and again they sent me to the hospital again.  This time, I was there for good.  On Tuesday, July 19 I sent Randy to work as I knew I would just be stuck in the hospital!  However, at about 9am Doctor Amy came in and told me that we were going to have a baby today!!! And by 5pm I had a C-Section and delivered baby Memphis Dean Palmer.  He weighed 4lbs 2oz.  He was born 5 in a half weeks early but he was doing so well.  He did have to stay in the NICU for 17 days because he had to get bigger and eat more!  Now remember I said we had a big party planned for Noah, well that was postponed and we have to have his Birthday party at Incredible Pizza.  Noah also gets to share his Birthday week with his little brother as Noah's birthday is on July 20.  Oh, by the way my softball girls made it to the state tournament and finished 2nd in the state!  I was so sad I missed all of it but they always kept me in the loop during the game with text messages! 

Preparing for the C-Section

Memphis Dean Palmer

Daddy and Memphis

Noah checking out his brother for the first time!

Most of the family checking out baby Memphis

Noah loving on his baby brother

Me and Casey (one of my softball girls!)

Mari, Me and Macie (more softball girls, well Macie took my spot on the coaching staff!)

Macie and Noah, these girls just love Noah!

August: This became our adjustment time at home with a new baby.  We all had to adjust!  Noah did very well adjusting and always wanted to help.  He is the best helper a mom could ask for.  Randy and I both were both sleep deprived but that was okay because we were happy to have our whole family together!
September:  I had to return to work.  Well, I should say go to my new job!  What a way to start.  Thankfully, Johnston was so understanding.  It did take a while to adjust to the new job but I finally did.  Randy also celebrated a birthday this month!  We didn't do much but celebrate with family. Also once I returned to work we were lucky enough to have family help out watching Memphis.  Big thank yous to my mom (Kelly), Randy's parent's (Peggy and Craig), Grandma Palmer, and Aunt Nancy.  Having Memphis with family before he went to his baby sitter was so nice. 
October: Again we really didn't do a whole lot.  Memphis started going to his new babysitter, Karen.  She is amazing!  Memphis gets to be with his cousin, Zach each day and it is so much fun to be able to see them together!  We did have a fun Halloween!
November:  Thanksgiving!  Lots of food and family.  We were blessed with being around both of our families.  We went to Creston and put up my Grandpa's Christmas Tree for him.  He loves having his tree up.  Then on Thanksgiving we got to celebrate with Randy's side of the family.
December:  Well we are doing lots of celebrating.  We went to see my Mom the first weekend of December to celebrate Christmas early.  It was nice to travel and have no snow to worry about.  We will be celebrating Christmas with Randy's side on Christmas Eve and with my Dad on Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas!

Like I said we are so blessed.  It has been a whirlwind of a year and we are so lucky that God has blessed us in so many ways!  We hope you all have a happy and prosperous New Year.