2011 ~ Our Year In Review

Greg and I started 2011 by sailing "off into the sunset" on our anniversary cruise!  (Our 5 year ann. was the previous Sept.)  We loved having long, lazy, sunny days with just each other.  We went deep sea fishing for the first time and one of us caught 2 fish (psssst, it was me!).  They were little fish but it was still fun to catch.  We wandered around Freeport & Nassau and Key West.  The Key West sunset was gorgeous.  The Lord can paint some beautiful pictures in the sky.  It sure was nice to have a week of summertime in January.

We celebrated lots of exciting events this year....

The Cutlers visited Miss. for the first time ~ so Bryant & Katie had an "in person" meeting ~

however I do love to tell people they met on the internet!

Rob proposed marriage to Sarah & she said yes!

Rob graduated from Mississippi State University!

Will went with a group from church to participate in Street Reach in Memphis for a week.  He came home with lots of stories of his adventures up there.

Bryant asked for permission to "court" Katie & several months later (July 2), he and Greg had breakfast and he asked permission to marry her....She said Yes!

Greg went to Haiti on a Mission Trip ~ his week was successful in the building furniture for the orphanage and loving on the children, but he had an allergic reaction to the lye in their soap and was pretty miserable from that.

Donna, Katie, Amy, Will, Granny, Aunt Brenda & Bethany started planning a wedding and completing many tasks while Greg was in Haiti.  We got lots accomplished but still had bunches to do.

Andy proposed marriage to Amy Kate ~ she said yes!

Allen continues to work hard in GA and in dealing with some issues that have come up.  The Lord has brought him a wonderful young lady, Jennifer.  Nothing official on that front yet.

James began his college studies in Welding & loves it.  He made a "B" for his first semester.  Now he wants to take scuba lessons...he has dreams of working on an oil rig in the Gulf as a welder.

Will & Amy began their next highschool year.  Will is in the 11th grade and Amy's in the 10th.  We are working lots more Bible history & scripture into our lessons and are really enjoying it.

Amy is helping in a Childrens Sunday School class & continues in her ballet lessons.

We spent a great week with Granny & my niece Bethany immediately before the wedding.  Lots of wedding preps, lots of fun, and lots of singing "Its all about Me" (thanks to the sweet rivalry between cousins Amy & Bethany)

My dear friends Angela, Angel, Rosana & Emmalyn spent hours helping us prepare the wedding reception food ~ and then set everything up for the reception!  GREAT friends!  Sons Rob & Andy and soon to be daughters Amy Kate & Sarah did a great job setting up the sanctuary & decorating!  Its great to have a big family.

Greg, Will, Amy & I drove the RV to Disney and camped for a week & had lots of fun times in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot & Hollywood Studios.  I would definitely repeat the RV experience ~ lots of fun and very quiet at the campground.

We made a whirlwind trip to St. Louis to visit the newlyweds & attend a reception for them up there. We got the fantastic news that the Lord is blessing them right away with a little baby.  We pray for our little "Olive" daily and can't wait to meet him/her in person in July.

Our Hershey gave birth to 4 beautiful puppies, we've found homes for 2 of them, but not the other 2 yet.  Amy is strongly HINTING that she wants to keep Oreo...because we don't have a white puppy.  She would keep all of them and then bring home strays if we would let her.  She is definitely the resident animal expert of our family.

We carried through with our decision to simplify our holidays, our decorations, our out of the house committments, and our gifting.  It was a very different day ~ but, one we liked.  It did keep the focus on Christ and his wonderful gift to us & not us and our gifts to each other.  

We filled many shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child & look forward to doing it for years to come.  We also volunteered at their relay center again and loved it.

As a family, we were the "once a month" cooks for our churchs Wed. night dinners.  We also cooked for the couples Valentines dinner & several fundraiser dinners throughout the year.

We are daily seeking the Lord in His Will for our lives.  What we watch, read, listen too, participate in, associate our names with, etc.  Its been a roller coaster journey and its still going.

Its been a great 2011.

Next year will be just as exciting...

Greg, Will & I are heading to Honduras in Jan. for a week long Mission Trip.  This will be my 4th trip down there and Will's 1st.  Amy will be babysitting her Granny & James will be doggy/house sitting for us.  

Greg & I will get the titles "Grandpa & Grandma".

We will share in the wedding celebration of Rob & Sarah in New Orleans.

And many more adventures the Lord will reveal to us!

We are very thankful to the Lord for each other, our families, our Pastor & church family & all our friends!