Highlights of 2013

I know there are many ways to highlight the year 2013. Many people choose their 13 favorite moments or favorite photos. Since I have way too many favorite moments and pictures, I decided I would pick a picture from each month from the past year. I promised I'd get it up by Chinese New Year which is tomorrow. So here we are... the highlights from 2013!

In January, I had the amazing privilege of watching this precious sweetie join her forever family. I also was able to witness the"gotcha day" of about 15 other children! It's a day that I will never forget! 

Last year, Chinese New Year fell on February 14th. We always bring out the Chinese silks to dress the kids in for the occasion. Woohoo for Year of the Snake! We are now entering the Year of the Horse.

March was a month of birthdays! We had two children celebrating birthdays this month along with our director's wife and myself! I was very blessed to celebrate my birthday with this little sweetie who is near and dear to my heart. March was also the month that I traveled home for 2 months to raise support for another year in China.

April's highlight was going on vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC with my family for Easter. Even though it was chilly this year, we still had fun and I managed to get a little tan. It was a great time spent with family.

May brought baseball, baseball, and more baseball! Thankfully, I love it! Since I was home during baseball season, I got to watch Asa and Thaddeus play college ball and Tage play high-school ball.  There is nothing quite like sitting outside on a beautiful spring day taking in a ball game. I wish I had counted the number of ball games I have gone too over the years! This season was very special because it was the last time I was going to see Asa play. He is a senior this year and I most likely won't be home in time to see him play his last game.

June was the month of getting back into my routine in China. From what I remember, it was a month of loving on my little ones!

On the 4th of July we received a call that a baby boy was recently abandoned and in need of immediate medical care. A late night drive to Guangzhou and he was admitted that evening. This tiny boy would go on to spend the next several months of his life in and out of the hospital. He is doing so well today!

In August, we said goodbye to this young lady who had been with since January. She brought such laughter and joy to the foster home.

In September, I traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to spend 5 days with my dear friend, Caroline, and her husband! It was a wonderful relaxing week spent with good friends, eating great food. I loved it!

In October, this cutie left us to join her adoptive family. I miss her laughter and spunk!

November I traveled home to spend the holidays with my family. On Thanksgiving Day, all 7 of us Johnson kids were together. That doesn't happen too often anymore!

In December, I got to experience China with my brother, Thaddeus. It was awesome to go to the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Wangfujing Street, and many other awesome sites while he was here. What an incredible way to end 2013!

Looking back, I can not believe how fast this past year flew. I only wrote about the fun times and exciting things that happened but in all honestly, there were quite a few difficult times. Looking back, I see the Lord's fingerprints all over this year.

2013 was great but I am very excited to see what 2014 has in store. It has been a great year so far. This year is going to be a year of change. I will share more on that later. I am so excited to see where the Lord leads and guides me in this new year.

Johnson Thanksgiving

I am linking up with Linny at A Place Called Simplicity and giving you a "glimpse" of a Johnson Thanksgiving. 

Praying you all had a wonderful, fun filled Thanksgiving with family and friends. 

We start out most holidays with my Mom's cinnamon rolls.... yum. 

 Peeling potatoes.

 Getting ready!

 My beautiful sister.

 Thanksgiving table set and ready to go!

With 5 brothers there was always wrestling going on in my house growing up. Now with 2 nephews, not much has changed.

 The "smaller" of our 2 turkeys.

 Playing games.

 Entertainng ourselves.

 The "gang."

 Ready to play in the snow!

Spending time with the grandkids.

 Annual Thanksgiving Day football game.... even in the snow.

 Dessert.... if you can't decide on one? Eat all 3!

 The whole family.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Johnson's! 

Day 28 of Thankfulness: Fellowship

Today is Thanksgiving Day and the final day of my "28 Days of Thankfulness." This was a struggle for me to blog ever day for the last month but I am so glad I did. It is important to look at the Lord's blessings and be thankful. You will now get a break of my blogging as I'm not sure how often I will write these next few weeks of being home. I will try though!

With all that said, I am thankful for fellowship.

I am a social person and I love being around people. I am still introverted, so I need my alone time occasionally but this last year and a half in China has been hard because I have had too much alone time. Being home this last week has been wonderful. I am reminded how wonderful it is to be around people and family.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Praying that you have a wonderful day filled with family, fellowship, fun, and food. 

Day 27 of Thankfulness: Food

I am thankful for food.

Food is one of those things that I have taken for granted my whole life. I have no idea what it is like to go hungry, never had that feeling where I can't possibly eat because there is none. I have always known where my next meal is coming from. That alone is a blessing. 

I am also thankful for the variety of foods. I will admit that even when I miss the food of this country, I am thankful for the food in other countries. Even though some of it is strange (in my opinion), it is always an adventure to try new things.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, may we all be thankful for each and every blessing the Lord has given us. 

Day 26 of Thankfulness: Laughter

I am thankful for laughter.

Laughter truly is medicine for the soul. When there is laughing and giggling going on, it causes one to forget the problems and stresses of life. I especially love when the laughter is coming from a child who should not be here today. When a living, breathing miracle is laughing, it makes it even better.

I am praying that my month home is filled with laughter. Where there is love, there is laughter.

Day 24 of Thankfulness: Differences

I am thankful for differences.

We are all unique and different in our own way. As a body of believers, we each bring something different to the "table," so to speak. There are times in my life when the differences frustrate me. I'm frustrated that someone doesn't get "where I'm coming from" or what I'm trying to say. That they just don't get it. Lately, I have been looking at these differences as a blessing. Yes, we are different, but we are each unique in Christ. He made us each different for a purpose. Just look at the snowflakes. There are so many different shapes, sizes, and patterns. No two are the same. It's the same with people. God created each of us just how He wants us. Quarks and everything. Just think how boring life would be if we were all the same. Besides, not sure if this world could handle another Anneli. 

Day 23 of Thankfulness: Coffee

I am thankful for coffee.

Some would say I'm addicted. I would say I'm in love. I absolutely love this hot beverage, especially in the morning when I'm still trying to wake up. Nothing quite like a hot cup of coffee while sitting down for my quiet time each morning. 

So why in the world did I pick a country where they really don't drink coffee? Hmmmm, now that, my friends, is a good question. Thankfully, I have dear friends back home who support my addiction and send me coffee. And yes, we do have Starbucks here but sadly no Tim Hortons. I have to take what I can get though, right?

Day 22 of Thankfulness: Seasons

I am thankful for seasons.

I didn't realize how blessed I was to grow up in a climate where I could experience all four seasons until now when I'm in a climate where we don't. I just love the different seasons.

The freshness and excitement of new life in the spring.

 The smell of freshly cut grass, swimming, and being outdoors barefoot on a beautiful summer day.

The vibrant colors and crispness in the air when fall (my favorite season and the one I have missed the most) arrives.

And yes, even the freezing cold weather and snow covered roads in the winter. Now I could live in an area where snow doesn't last quite as long as NY but last year just didn't feel like Christmas with the warm temperatures and lack of snow in southern China.

Yes, I absolutely love the seasons. I have no idea where I am going to end up when I leave China, but I hope it's an area where there are seasons. Nothing quite like the changing of the seasons.

Day 21 of Thankfulness: Bible & Prayer

I am thankful for the Bible and prayer.

I am writing about these two together because they go hand-in-hand. I really feel like you can't have one without the other. I am so very thankful for the Word of God the Lord left us with. In it we can find wisdom, comfort, and truth. It is our guide for this life on earth. 

Then there is prayer. Prayer is a way that we be constantly in contact with our Creator. No problem is too big or too small to bring to God in prayer and lay at His feet. In fact, He wants us to bring the small problems as well as the big ones to Him. 

Day 20 of Thankfulness: Opportunities

I am thankful for opportunities.

The Lord places many opportunities in our lives. The question is, whether we take them or not. I think of the opportunities I have had in my life. The opportunity to go on a mission trip to Mexico the summer of 2001 and how that trip is when God first opened my heart to the orphans. I think of the opportunity I had to go to college and earn an education. I think of the opportunity I have had to live in China. When I think of opportunities that I have taken, I also think of the ones I have missed. Most importantly, the opportunities that a person who does not know the Lord was placed in my path, and I didn't share my faith. Or the opportunities I had of people who I didn't love when they really needed it. 

The real question is, not to dwell on the opportunities I didn't take advantage of, but to not miss the future opportunities the Lord will place in my life. I pray that my heart will become more and more like Christ's. And that I will see people, the way He see's them. I pray that I will take each opportunity the Lord places in my life and use it for His glory.

Day 19 of Thankfulness: Trials

I am thankful for trials.

This one is a little more difficult to write about. I don't know many people who can honestly say that they enjoy going through trials and difficult times. One thing the Lord talks about time and time again, is how important trials are. How they test our faith and allow it to grow. If we didn't go through a hard time or two, we wouldn't need God. We would be able to handle life on our own, without His help. Trials allow our faith to grow and for us to truly see the character of God. To see how He is with us each step of the way. He will "never leave us nor forsake us." He loves us that much. 

Looking back on my life, each trial I have gone through I can see the Lord's fingerprints all over them. No, maybe I didn't always feel Him near while I was going through it, but looking back now, I see how He was always there, never leaving my side. I have reached a point where I am thankful for trials. Do I enjoy going through them? Absolutely not. But I can see how they were and are necessary. If I am going to strengthen my faith walk and continue to grow, then going through trials are a necessary part of that process. I am thankful for the trials the Lord has brought my way. And more importantly, how He has seen me through each and every one.