January
I was busy with the young women of Jacksonville ward and two little kids. Cole was milking the cow and we were trying desperately to find him a job. Joshua was sick all of January. Cole turned 26 and was sure that either the world would end or he was close enough to 30 so he might as well be 40.
February
Wasn't much different than January---till the end. Cole learned of a company named Vivint and decided to apply for a position out of Anchorage, Alaska. After nine long months, our prayers were finally answered....he got the job! February 28th is when our simple easy life turned into a whirlwind rollercoaster....
March
Cole traveled to Utah for orientation and training at Vivint corporate offices in Provo. I stayed home with the boys to pack our home. That same week I was released from my calling as 2nd counselor in the YW presidency. I was so sad to leave my YW but excited for what the future would hold. The week after Cole returned home we finished packing, cleaned and moved. The next morning, Saturday the 19th, Cole and his dad left Medford for the four day trip up the Al-Can. It was an exciting trip with lots of hiccups and trials but they made it safe and sound. Upon pulling into town Cole made contact with a Bishop in Wasilla and was able to stay with him and his family for six weeks! They were answers to my prayers and I will always be grateful for their sacrifice for us.
April
Cameron, Joshua and I were staying at the farm until Cole found housing for the four of us. I continued to milk the cow and help around the farm. I enjoyed the family time knowing that I would be leaving soon and would lose that safety net. I also had to get rid of our household furniture, kitchenware and anything extra that we could do with out! After several attempt, all failing, due to nervous breakdowns and many tears my wonderful Mother-in-law helped me to sort my thirty boxes down to eight boxes! I got rid of everything!!!! My brand new couches were sold, the baby furniture and toys were sold and anything that we didn't have to have was given to goodwill. Mid-April Cole put a deposit down on an apartment and I bought plane tickets for the boys and I. April 29th my sisters took the boys and I and our six pieces of luggage to the airport where we boarded our plane and left everything I had ever known behind :( That was probably the hardest day of my life....leaving my family and friends and everything I owned to come to a place I had never been before without anything! Cole met us at the airport that night with open arms and the biggest smile on his face. He drove us forty-five miles to Wasilla. We stayed with Bishop Breshears the 29th and 30th.
May
At 9am on the 1st we picked up our keys from our new landlord. Although it was a Sunday we went ahead and moved the things we had....which wasn't much! We began our new journey. Mid-May we drove to Homer to visit Coles grandparents. It was fun to take a weekend trip...something Cole and I have never done!
June
Emily came to visit in June. It was fun to have a familiar face here and to show her around. After taking her to the airport to catch her flight home...I cried the whole back to my home! I turned 25 and didn't feel quite as bad as Cole did about his birthday.
July
Amanda surprised me as a late birthday present! While she was here we were able to explore a little. She went with me to a girls night and helped me to feel a little more comfortable around my new friends!
I was sad to see her go home but I wasn't devastated like I was when Emily left. Right after Amanda left I decided to become a runner...the first few weeks were very hard! The last week of July, I drove to Anchorage to pick up Cole's mom, dad, sister Mandi and her family. We drove to Homer and spent a week there. We went clamming and Halibut fishing. Cameron had a blast playing with his cousins and Joshua cut three new teeth that week! Cole wasn't able to take time off to come with us but he was able to sneak away for a weekend to join us for 24 hours!
August
Not much happened in August. I enrolled Cameron in school. I spent sometime with my new friends. I ran! I trained using a program called Couch 2 5k. I loved going out three mornings a week and running for 30 minutes. It helped to clear my head, helped to settle me and helped to make me a better mom. The goal was to lose some weight...I may have lost a few pounds but what I quickly realized was that I felt better than I had in a really long time and although I may not look like I changed...I did on the inside! I was also given the opportunity to teach a lesson in Relief Society at church in August. Cole worked and worked and then worked some more! We celebrated Joshua's 1st birthday on August 31st.
September
Cameron started school. He came home everyday full of stories and tales of his new friends and all the things they were learning. Joshua loved the extra attention in the morning while Cameron was at school. Cole continued to work A LOT. I continued to run.
October
October brought the changing weather...the temperature quickly dropped and although it didn't snow till Halloween I was running in the mornings in 20 degree temps. I found that it was too cold to continue running outside. Between July and October I managed to run a total of 60 miles! Cole was still working a lot. Cameron was still loving school. Joshua started talking more. My first nephew was born on Oct 28th...I was hoping to be there for his birth but was so glad that he made it safe and sound into this world.
November
We celebrated Cameron's 5th birthday on the 2nd. The boys and I took a three week trip to Oregon while Cole stayed home and worked like a crazy man! We enjoyed the time with friends and family but were glad to come home the day after Thanksgiving.
December
And to finish out the year I won't be making any big announcements :) We have enjoyed December and all the preparations for the Holidays. Cameron has struggled in school and Cole..I'm sure you've guessed...has worked A LOT. He logged 102 hours in two weeks on his last paycheck. It makes for some very long days for the kids and I, BUT we are all very thankful for such a wonderful job. We've spent the last 10 months learning, growing and changing. I feel like 2011 was a wonderful year for our family and I will always look back on it knowing that a miracle was performed in our lives...last year, who would've thought that this Alaskan adventure is what we had been being prepared for. I am here to say that with out a doubt our Heavenly Father and Savior have had a guiding hand in our lives and without them we would not be where we are today. I feel as if this has been the biggest, most important year for us so far. I am so grateful for all of the sacrifices our families have made...to help us, to visit us, to be there over the phone and in spirit for us. I am grateful for a loving Father in Heaven and for our Savior, for their guiding light and for the knowledge we have of them.
Here's to a fabulous 2012....hoping it's filled with excitement and maybe, just maybe an announcement some time....we'll see :)
Happy New Year to all of our family and friends!
The Henderson's
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