2010 - our year in pictures.

 When you're healthy and in love, the blessings just keep on coming, don't they?

 Our 2010 started in Washington, where we rounded out the holidays with Grandma, Grandpa and a gaggle of family and friends. It's always warm there, even though it's really never warm there. That's what's nice about home.

 You forget how tiny they started out until you go back a year and see how much they've grown! Molly climbing the stools at the Farm, just like I did when I was her age. Some things really never change.

Even it we did come home to a broken furnace, it's still nice to be home. We all bundled up and saw in the New Year with our neighbors and the littles. 

And really, a little shopping will go a long way to warm a girl up! 

 February came in with our fourth anniversary and a visit from...

 SUZ!!! We had a blast and ended our awesome week with a stomach virus. Real friends travel 100 miles to clean up puke. Yes, they do. (We plan on making it up to her with another visit coming up soon - and we're all going to stay healthy!)

 See?? February was nothing but smiles, as soon as we were all on our feet again!

 Lucy and Addi at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

 Out for a ride in the living room, feeling free and easy!

 Lucy and Daddy enjoying a quick snowstorm! 

 We refinished furniture...

 ...learned a little at the Science Museum...

 ...went horseback riding with friends...

...and one particularly cute little girl turned 1! 

 March blew in with the Merkel family, who got in just in time for Mo's birthday dinner...

 ...and stayed for a trip to the zoo.

 After a super fun couple of weeks with them, we decided to accompany Daddy on a little road trip to...

 HOUSTON!!!

 And let's be honest. The only interesting ting about driving to Houston was stopping at Buckey's. 

 After a long weekend in Houston, we came home with a hammock...

 ...and a smile.

 April was one of those great months that just stretched on and on and on.

We met the Easter Bunny (tear-free, I might add!) 

 Enjoyed the great outdoors,

 

 hunted for eggs,

 and enjoyed the outdoors a little bit more!

We played with friends in the warm Texas sunshine...

 ...cuddled with our loved ones...

 ...and jumped in the car for another road trip! This time, we were off to...

 San Antonio!

 At the Alamo!

 A great trip without incident, the girls were amazing travelers and loved everything SA had to offer. Definitely the perfect Spring "break" for a busy, young family.

What's not to like about May in Texas? 80 degrees every day, smiling people everywhere you go, lots of fun before the summer heat! 

Mother's Retreat at Good Shepherd in Colleyville.

 Town square Rosary with our journal group friends.

Another very special little girl had a birthday - this time it was sweet Lucy, turning 3 years old. You'd think she was turning 30, the way she took it in stride and insisted she was going to stay two forever. 

We wrapped up the month by welcoming the summer heat with friends...

 ...and ice cream.

June was a month of warm nights, warm hearts and family fun. 

 Lucy took her first evening fishing trip with Daddy and learned to "spin, spin, pull, pull."

 In the middle of the month, Ben flew down to party.

 Okay, he may have brought an entourage. We had a great week full of toddlers galore, visiting all the Fort Worth sights and eating all sorts of yummy meals together. I think the best part of the week was just lying the in backyard and letting those kids run and run.

 July wasn't too hot this year - we had a great Fourth, even though our plans sort of died several times. We ended the day with party poppers and burgers anyway, so happy to have our freedom and our wonderful country.

 Lucy's room was finally finished, almost a year after moving in. Except for the bed. That was just a disaster. She still doesn't really have one, to be honest.

 Molly kept us busy by eating markers and climbing things.

 And as usual, Texas kept surprising us with beautiful sights when we least expected them. Like an amazing sunset, and a positive pregnancy test at the end of the month! It was a very short pregnancy, however, and we celebrated the very swift life of our tiny baby, knowing that God always has a plan.

 Molly decided it was a crisis and so we went boating with a colleague of Andrew's on Lake Grapevine.

 We started the month with another birthday - Andrew turned 24 for the 4th year in a row and demanded a giant cake for his suffering.

We also decided to start house-hunting to buy something in the area.  Molly thought it was great and voted for the 70's love nest with the avocado wet bar in the living room. Weaning was hard on her, so we  tried to be flexible. Then we decided to just keep renting. House-hunt over.

 At the very end of the month, we found out that we were expecting again! Hooray!

We started the month with travel! Andrew headed to Kandahar and the girls and I headed to Maryland for a little family time. 

 Molly started it with a swim, because that's how you party in the heat. Grandpa was kind enough to offer his legs for the climbing and hanging. Such a selfless guy. (Not only are those not Molly's goggles, but that's not her swim bottom OR her shoes. She just tends to attract stray items.)

 We went to Mass at the Basilica for the beginning of the homeschooling year, only to find that the power was out and we would be celebrating Mass outside. Yeah, it really makes for reverent toddlers.

 We spent a day at the beach with Aunt Katherine, and then flashed the entire patio at the Cheesecake Factory. Well, Lucy did the flashing. Katherine and I pretended she was an abandoned child we'd never met.

 Maryland meant lots of cousin time! Grandma made sure the kids were totally stocked on chocolate milk and messy activities for the entirety of the three weeks we were in the state. Being the thorough Grandma she is, that means playdough, water games and lots of sugar. It also means plenty of time for the tired mommies to relax!

 After boating and swimming, Mo decides to try a land activity like ATV-and-Uncle-Kevin-wrangling.

 The boys and their nieces at the Conservatory- beautiful day!

 See? Tired mommies at Grandma's = plenty of time to play around with the camera. This was also the height of my emotional breakdown in my early pregnancy, so she was probably doing the right thing by shielding the children from my wrath. And Andrew was wise enough to be 4000 miles away. Do these people get me, or what?!

To help celebrate 40 Days for Life, Lucy and I joined the Life Chain in Keller for a couple of hours of prayer and fellowship. 

 We also celebrated life by meeting our new baby! We named the anonymous tiny human "Tex." So far, it's sticking.

 We helped our friends organize a Rosary Rally, and had a big picnic at the park!

 I flew out to Washington alone for a weekend at the Farm. Nina and I met up to spend a long weekend with Grandma and Grandpa. What we didn't know then was that our perfect weekend of fun on the Farm with Grandma, filled with baking, walking, laughter and silliness, was her last energetic weekend. The four of us were transported back 20 years, enjoying every minute we could before Nina and I had to head back to adulthood.

 I'm pretty sure that this picture is of Grandma's last walk down the road, chatting and laughing about this and that. About a week later, Grandma became weaker and weaker and passed away a month later.

I rushed home from Washington to catch the last of the month with my babies. We got ready for Halloween and had a spooky time!

We ended the month with a trip to the Alliance Air Show and some trick-or-treating. Not bad for October! 

 We started November with a challenge. Andrew registered for and completed the DFW Mud Run. He had a blast and just loped right through the 10k obstacle course with nary a complaint. Not bad for a guy who'd been putting off the gym for several months! We were so proud of his determination!

 I think Mo might have been the proudest of all.

 November also gave us the chance to get another look at Tex, who Lucy says, "looks like a penguin."

While Mommy and Mo headed out West for some family time, Lucy and Daddy started getting the house ready for Christmas! 

Our Thanksgiving this year was bittersweet, as Grandma Susie passed away on November 23rd. It was an incredibly difficult time, but we were surrounded by so much love and peace. Her funeral was a standing-room-only celebration of a life well-lived, and Grandpa Dick is still overwhelmed by cards, memorial donations and loving memories a month later. Our tears will continue for months and years to come, but knowing she's free of pain is a very nice way to cope. Thank you for so many prayers and good wishes - the Hendry family will be forever indebted to the wonderful people who've seen us through this.

  Mo and I came home to find the tree waiting to be decorated! Molly wasted no time breaking several ornaments and hanging what was left.

When I look at this picture, I can't believe how far they've come in a year!

 Molly says, "Happy Holidays, y'all!" 

The blessings this year have been plentiful, and our experiences as a family have been nothing short of

  As we send 2010 out with a smile and ring in the new year, I know that with everything and everyone around me, a baby on the way, two healthy little girls and one handsome hubby, we are truly, truly

Happy New Year Everyone!