Smith Family Tree: January 2010

On January 10, Brianne's baby Ryan turned 1 and Morgan's baby Gabriel turned 2. Tyson and I were all set to go to Gabriel's birthday party...and then his mommy and daddy got a terrible stomach bug. So we waited a week and then went to Terrell to visit for the weekend. Tyson had so much fun playing with Gabriel's toys (Quote of the weekend "Mommy this is not Baby Tyson's!") and watching him dance and sing! Gabriel liked helping out by feeding Tyson and sharing pacis! Cedri is a great kid entertainer and Morgan is too! Measer came over to visit and Morgan and I got to Skype with Cynthia and Brianne. It was so fun to see them "live!" Tyson also loved meeting Papaw Clyde and seeing Grammy Doris. We were going to come home on Sunday, but decided to stay an exta night-for some more fun and for a trip to IKEA! It was a wonderful trip...although on the way home a huge piece of metal got into my tire causing a terrible flat...leading to a new tire and a long afternoon! I will say, thankfully, Tyson never even wimpered throughout the whole long afternoon! He is a great traveling baby!

I found this idea on a good friend's blog (thanks CMJW) and loved it! Although I had great plans for doing this on New Year's Day...at least we are still in January!

The last ten years have been an amazing, life changing roller coaster:

2000
Rang in the New Year in the NC Mountains with Morgan, Cynthia and Brianne!
-Junior year at Carolina; confirmed major of JOMC
-Loved college life with my best "season" friends
(That's about all I feel I should publish! Oh wow things have changed!)
-Michael graduated from high school; mom, Michael and I went on vacation to the Bahamas
-Grandaddy Biddy died in November-my first adult experience with losing a close loved one
-Morgan, Cynthia, Brianne, Susan, Kim graduated in May (I would miss them all so much)

2001
Rang in the New Year with Morgan in Chapel Hill (wearing my pink satin pants-oh yes!)
-Senior year at Carolina-loved every minute!
-Crystal and I took "Food Culture" class, opening my mind to trying amazing cuisine and wine
-Cynthia married Jody Putnam (at the Carolina Inn)-I met Travis at their wedding...
-IN LOVE! We began a long distance relationship, as he lived in Kings Mountain
-Graduated in May (Mom gave me a car!)
-Was at the beach with Daddy during September 11
-Began Public Relations job in Raleigh-HATED IT! (But loved living with Morgan-in grad school)
-Started substitute teaching while job-searching---HELLO---I realized my calling!
-Took a permanent position at McDougle Elementary in Carrboro as 2nd Grade Assistant
-Began to pursue education as a profession
-Visited Brianne in Vermont (we missed her so much)
-Travis's dad died-this was a sad, awful time! I met Jeff and Jennifer for the first time.
-We spent Christmas in South Dakota (I knew it was love!)

2002
Rang in the New Year with Travis and Morgan in Atlanta at the Peach Bowl (Go Heels!)
-Discovered a Teacher Certification program at UNC-Charlotte
-Morgan finished grad school and we both moved away from Chapel Hill
-Moved to Gastonia to live near Travis and began the program.
-I enjoyed going to Travis's ballgames, meeting his friends (esp. Coach Clark)
-Often rode the train home to visit my family (came home when Carlie was born)
-We began attending First Baptist Church of Kings Mountain
-Worked as a First Grade Assistant at Washington Elementary School in Cleveland County (I met special teacher-friends that shaped my philosophy of teaching and remain very dear to me)
-Brianne married Jessie (great wedding in Maryland)
-Reagan was born (Jeff and Jennifer's daughter)

2003
Rang in the New Year in Georgia with Travis's family
-We got our first baby- RALPH- our wonderful dog!
-Received my Teaching Certification and began teaching at Washington (loved it)
-Daddy retired from the NC DOT
-Continued the Master's Program at UNC-Charlotte

2004
Rang in the New Year at Simpsons in Raleigh with our best friends
-Mom turned 50 (surprise party)
-Received my Master's Degree in Education
-Continued teaching first grade at Washington Elementary
-Moved to a little house in Kings Mountain
-Crystal married Allen (beautiful wedding at her parents home)
-The Seasons had our first "reunion" at the beach
-We got ENGAGED!!
-Started planning a wedding!

2005
Rang in the New Year in KM (low key after the Carolina Bowl game in Charlotte)
-Taylor was born (Jeff and Jennifer's son)
-This year was full of wonderful wedding showers and parties and best of all...
(Mom and I had the time of our lives planning for the wedding. I felt so special all year long.)
-OUR WEDDING-on Grandma Juel's front porch-it was perfect!
-THE RECEPTION-in my daddy's backyard-it felt like magic!
-OUR HONEYMOON to Jamaica-amazing!

2006
Rang in the New Year in Raleigh with our best friends at Simpsons (we love it)
-Morgan married Cedric (Mom and I enjoyed helping Morgan with the wedding.)
-Went on a perspective-changing mission trip with FBKM to Romania
-Spent our first anniversary in the NC Mountains in a great cabin
-Moved home to Pearces...in mom's basement (to save money for building a house)
-Spent wonderful times with my family (especially at daddy's pool and laughing with mom)
-Began teaching first grade at Royal Elementary
-Travis coached football and taught Math at Bunn High School (it made me so happy)

2007
Rang in the New Year with my daddy
-Will never forget spending New Year's with daddy, Diane, Amber, Jackson & Carlie
-Season reunion in Vermont
-Daddy died on February 20-my world changed
-Began working on National Board Certification
-Missed daddy so so much, thankful for my family and friends
-Went on a healing mission trip to Honduras-I was blessed beyond words
-Celebrated our 10 year BHS class reunion
-Chose a house plan, began the process of building our 'forever' home

2008
Rang in the New Year with mom at Michael Deans in Raleigh
-Morgan had Gabriel (our first Carolina baby boy)
-Season reunion here...Cynthia moved to Texas
-Very unfortunate events led to Travis and me leaving Franklin county school system
-Spent most of the summer busily preparing for our new home
-Travis began teaching at Wilson Hunt and I began teaching at Wakelon Elementary
-Took a test--it said yes! We were going to become parents!
-Moved into our new house!!
(Recap- New house, New job, New baby-on-the-way, and a New car: a mini van, WOW what a year!)

2009
Rang in the New Year in Peachtree City with Jeff's family
Baby, Baby Baby!
Loved being pregnant and enjoyed wonderful baby showers
Had so much fun preparing the nursery
Brianne had baby Ryan in January
Cynthia got pregnant (Mackenzie was born in September)
Enjoyed being pregnant with my best buddy at school Jessica (Carter was born June 3)
Then...
April 10, 2009 at 7:37 pm, my life changed in the most miraculous way as Tyson Olin Smith was born. I became a mom. My heart expanded. Our family felt complete.

The rest of 2009 was fantastic. It was without a doubt my favorite year to date as I...
-Held a tiny newborn- I tried to memorize the feeling
-Laughed through late night sleeplessness
-Loved Travis more than ever
-Watched as Tyson learned to smile, roll, sit, clap, crawl and stand
-Traveled with him to our favorite places
-Felt blessed by countless visitors and friendships
-Started working part time in order to have precious time with him
-enjoyed Christmas more than words can say
"A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING"

2010
? But... I know God has wonderful things in store for us!
-Looking forward April when we will celebrate Tyson's first birthday and the birth of a sweet baby girl (EFW) who will be born to my life-long best friend, Crystal!

*Reading over these last ten years, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude as I can see how God directed my paths. I am so thankful for His guidance, forgiveness and love!