Looking back at 2011

I will remember 2011 as the year that:

• I forgot how to blog. :p
• We paid off our mortgage.  We got a 30 year, 50K loan in April 2004 and paid it off in October 2011.  God blessed us with a foreclosed, four bedroom house north of Pittsburgh where it's difficult to find a small three-bedroom for 100K.  The house needed some work when we first bought it (and we're not done fixing it up!), but with the help of family and church friends, we were able to move in two months after purchasing it. 
• I got serious about homeschooling.  We've been teaching the boys at home since birth, really.  I had been working with Isaiah informally for the past two years.  But starting in September, we have had school every weekday, starting at approximately the same time (give or take an hour... haha!), and cover all the major subjects.  I have realized that if you want to be confronted with every one of your flaws and shortcomings on a daily basis, then become a homeschooling mom.  I struggle with patience.  Plus, Isaiah's and my personalities are very similar, which makes us sometimes have a hard time working together.  However, we're improving as the school year goes along and finding our groove. 
• I read through the whole bible for the first time.  Thanks to bible reading schedules provided to our church by one of our church members, I was able to stay on track and finish on December 27.    Reading large quantities of scripture helped me understand the timeline of Israel's history more than I have before.  I feel now that bible reading is an essential part of my day.  Consistency and self-discipline are areas I stuggle with, so I'm thankful to God for leading me through the bible this year and helping me stick with it.