2023 has been THE most surprising year of my life. And maybe also the year of babies? When we went active for our last adoption on October 4, 2022, I had so much hope that we would be bringing a baby home in 2023 if it didn’t happen at the end of 2022. I did not expect that to happen the very first month of 2023! And then add in a very surprise/miracle pregnancy–definitely not on my bingo card for 2023 ha!
But throughout 2023 (and just like throughout my entire life), the Lord has sustained me and been my strength when I felt like I couldn’t handle anything else in my life. He’s been my joy, my hope, my comforter, and I know He will do all of that in 2024.
January
Getting matched with and then flying out to be at the birth of Banks was the highlight of January (and the first half of 2023 for sure!). Even though we went through the same agency as we did with Harrison, this adoption process was totally different with different kinds of emotions.
I also got to meet and have coffee with my favorite blogger, Shay Shull!
February
On the day we were cleared to leave Texas and go back home, Dallas had a major ice storm hit that iced us in for an extra 3 days. We drove to a hotel near the airport expecting to only have to stay 1 extra night and ended up staying 3 nights. It was incredibly hard because I just wanted to be home with Harrison and have him meet Banks. We ended up staying a total of 12 days in Texas this time around.
Harrison also turned 4 at the end of the month!
March
Lots of time at home enjoying my maternity leave!
April
I went back to work in April and Banks joined Harrison at his school for the last two months of the school year. Banks’s face was exactly how I felt going back to paid work. (I saw on IG a post about maternity leave is not a break from work because it is work….it’s just a break from paid work and now that’s how I’m going to phrase it haha)
Harrison had a program at school and we all happily attended 🙂
May
We dedicated Banks to the Lord at church.
We also went King Charles III’s coronation party! It was the most fun–we had British inspired food and drank coffee and mimosas while watching the coronation VERY early in the morning.
I started wearing Banks all the time. He never wanted to be put down; I couldn’t hold him and do daily tasks–like cooking–so I broke out the Ergo and started wearing him which we both loved!!
June
I started feeding Banks solids because he was still waking up every 2-3 hours to eat during the night. And this wasn’t because of habit. He was downing each bottle. Once I started incorporating purees, he started sleeping through the night!
Lots of family time spent outside with Banks along for the ride in the stroller 🙂
July
We celebrated the 4th of July at my mom and stepdad’s farm!
We took a family trip to the Nashville Zoo. Also, Dustin was more focused on getting the monkey’s butt in the picture than getting a picture of me with my two children LOL
We ended the month celebrating Banks’s adoption finalization! It was a really happy and exciting day for us, but also a day where I thought so much about Banks’s birth parents and was so incredibly thankful for their sacrifice.
August
I started back to school (technically July 31st).
Banks started pulling up on everything.
And Harrison built a ton of castles….until Banks knocked them all down ha
September
We also announced some really INSANE news! I found out in August at 9 weeks and waited until 12 weeks to announce. I AM STILL IN SHOCK!
We also found out the new baby is a GIRL! Harrison got to pop the balloon and he was so excited because he wants a baby sister/has wanted a baby sister since we brought Banks home haha! Banks doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to be really excited, too 🙂
October
Pregnant at the same time as my sister!
We took Harrison to the TN game and had so much fun–it was our only game to go to as a family this year. He went to two others without me, and I went to another without him. Dustin went to lots!
I turned 36 at the end of October.
We went trick-or-treating! It was extremely cold, so Banks didn’t wear his costume and instead wore Harrison’s old snow suit. Harrison was Snoopy and Banks was The Great Pumpkin!
November
We took a trip with our besties to stay at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville and was exhausted but had fun together!
December
We went to a Christmas cocktail party as a family.
Wore lots of Christmasy outfits
Spent Christmas Eve with Dustin’s family (and my belly continued to grow)
And spent Christmas day with my side! My sister had her baby November 29, so Banks and Harrison now have a new baby cousin, Wiley!
2023 was a crazy, wonderful year and I’m praying 2024 is less exciting LOL 🙂
