Happy New Year

Our Top Ten Events of 2009:

10. Bowman Reunion: This summer many of Jesse's extended family got together here in Bloomington for several days including a biker rally to see Jesse and Troy's band perform, a cookout at our house and a dinner at a Mexican restaurant. It was great to visit with everyone!

9. Brookfield Zoo: In July, Logan and I headed up to the Brookfield Zoo and met up with Anneliese and Ryder. It was a beautiful day and the boys seemed to enjoy themselves as much as they could. I hope to go back there with Logan in the future...it was a great experience.

8. 2nd Wedding Anniversary: On our second wedding anniversary, Jesse and I dropped Logan off at his Grandparents' house and traveled to Galena for the weekend. We did some sight-seeing, drank wine, shopped and ate good food. It was my first overnight trip away from Logan and I thoroughly enjoyed myself :)

7. Holidays: We spent every holiday with family this year. We are so blessed to have family that is willing to travel to see us or willing to host us at their home so we can spend as much time together as possible.

6. Kristi and Tim's Wedding in Mexico: Jesse and I decided to throw caution to the wind and skip out on work in the middle of October (very rare for a teacher) and head down to Mexico for four days to celebrate the marriage of two close friends. What a great vacation....spending time with friends, eating good food, laying in the sun, sight-seeing and participating in a very beautiful wedding. We will have wonderful memories from this vacation/wedding for the rest of our lives.

5. Loving Life: I'm truly loving life...every aspect of it! Being a mom is my most difficult job, but by far the most rewarding. My role as a loving wife becomes more of a priority with every day that passes. My teaching job is also filled with challenges, but challenges that I'm willing to rise up to and many times overcome. Finally, my role as a Christian is a more involved role that I'm loving (see number 1 below!). Life is good!

4. Dane and Kate's Wedding: October 3, 2009 was a very special day. Dane and Kate were married before they went into the Peace Corp 2 years ago, but when they returned this year they had a celebration to share their marriage union with friends and family. Kate was a beautiful bride and Dane was a handsome and confident groom. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was a blast. It is another day from 2009 that I will never forget.

3. Logan's 1st Birthday: On October 23, 2009 my beautiful son turned 1! I couldn't believe how fast the time had gone. On his actual birthday Jesse and I were in Mexico, but we had a party for him the day after we returned. The party was a joint party for Ryder and Logan since they are only 4 days apart. I loved watching him open his presents, eat his cake and interact with family. The party was a very special event!

2. Logan Growing Up: Watching my son grow up, learn new things and develop a fantastic sense of humor has definitely been one of the greatest highlights of 2009. At the beginning of the year he was so tiny and could barely hold his head up. As the year went on he went from rolling to crawling to walking. He also started the year cooing and as the year progressed he began babbling, singing and talking. But, by far, the best part has been seeing his sense of humor develop. He is just like his father...goofy! He laughs all the time and his laugh is the best sound I have ever heard. He is such a big boy!

1. Baptism/Logan's Child Dedication Ceremony: 2009 was also a very special year because it was the year that I truly decided to follow Jesus Christ and become the best Christian I can be. I've always believed in God and Jesus and I've attended church since I was very little. I was also baptized when I was young; however, I don't remember ever loving God and Jesus and feeling His love for me. After Logan was born, Jesse and I started attending church more frequently, praying together and with Logan and reading the Bible. God was really working through the people of Eastview (our church) and through the people around me because all of a sudden, I understood His love for me. I remember talking to Jesse about it one afternoon and he said, "I have nothing more to teach you...you get it!" After that I made the decision to be baptized again, this time by immersion. On December 13, 2009, Jesse baptized me in a private ceremony with just the two of us and Logan (and the baptism coordinator from the church because we needed her to hold Logan and make sure he didn't dive into the water!). It was an AMAZING experience. Jesse and I also decided to commit to raising Logan in a Christian home and we participated in a "Child Dedication Ceremony" at Eastview...we stood up in front of the church with other families and committed to raise Logan to the best of our ability and in a Christian home.

So, 2009 has been a truly exceptional year with many changes for the good and many lessons learned. We hope 2010 will be just as exceptional...Happy New Year!!!

(Now, I just have to get used to writing 2010 on my checks!!!)

Christmas, 2009

What a glorious Christmas!!! We began our "Christmas Tour, 2009" by heading to Jesse's parents' house in Sterling, IL on the Wednesday before Christmas. The Bowman family get togethers are always filled with plenty of laughs and love and this gathering was not an exception. On Christmas morning we traveled to Freeport, IL to my Grandmother's house. It was so nice to visit with the Myers side of the family...we don't get to see them as much and so our gatherings are filled with lots of catching up. We also got to see my cousin, Natalie, who lives in Denver and I haven't seen in years. After my Grandmother's house, we headed to my Dad's house in Lena, IL and stayed there until Sunday morning. We were able to visit with all my siblings, their spouses and my best friend, Tabitha and her family. Lena will always be my "hometown" and a place where I'm comfortable. I'm glad we could spend some of our holiday time in Lena. When we finally arrived back in Bloomington, we celebrated Christmas....just the three of us. By that time, Logan had the unwrapping thing down and he loved his toys, but didn't really care for the clothes and socks...I guess we're already getting a preview of future Christmases! We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas as well!

The Bowmans, Christmas, 2009

Jesse and Logan on Christmas Eve

Anneliese, Kevin and Ryder on Christmas Eve

Grandma and Grandpa Bowman with their 2 favorite grandchildren

Grandpa read Happy Birthday, Jesus to the boys before bed on Christmas Eve

Art, eating a "weiner sub" to prove it really is a sandwich that starts with "W" and he could get his point in Scattergories

Logan playing with his Great-Uncle, Roger

Logan, playing with his $100.00 bill he received from his Grandpa Myers for Christmas

Logan and Emily (Tabitha's daughter who is 2 weeks younger than Logan)

Logan and Grandpa Myers

Logan, in his new jacket from Dad's girlfriend, Peggy

Logan and his Aunt Kate

Logan, opening his racetrack from me and Jesse

Playing with his new racetrack

Logan, playing with his basketball hoop he got from his Grandma and Grandpa Bowman

How Many Kings

Here are the lyrics to my new favorite song by DownHere:

"How Many Kings"

Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliness hero, wrapped in his mothers shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?

Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn savior
All that we have whether costly or meek
Because we believe
Gold for his honor and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he’ll suffer
Do you believe, is this who we’ve waited for?
It’s who we’ve waited for

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only one did that for me
All for me
All for you
All for me
All for you

Merry Christmas from the Bowmans!

Click here to view a special Christmas message from the Bowmans:

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Felfyourself.jibjab.com%2Fview%2FpwP0kaLxD4A87CYI%3Fcmpid%3Dey_fb_self&h=928c86e5b59c031ff8eec52ef56297fe

Child Dedication Ceremony

Today was a very special day! Jesse and I stood up in front of some members of our family and some members of our church family and committed ourselves to raise Logan to the best of our ability and in a God-centered home. We love God and following Jesus Christ and we can't wait to teach Logan about God and Jesus. We already pray with him and read Bible stories with him. He also goes to church on Sundays and participates in the Kidsview program at our church. Someday he will come to us and tell us that he is ready to be baptized and we'll be able to tell him that we had been praying for that day since December 6, 2009.

We love you Logan!!!!

Standing up on the stage with the other families who were dedicating their children

Grandma and Grandpa Bowman came to town for the ceremony

Uncle Dane and Aunt Kate also came to the ceremony

With the pastor of our church, Mike Baker (Logan couldn't stop staring at him)

The Spirit of Christmas Past

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love the time with family, buying gifts for loved ones, cookies, decorating the house and the tree, Christmas music and Christmas movies. Here are some of my favorite Christmas memories from the past:

My first Christmas, 1978

Me with Santa, Christmas 1983

Christmas with my favorite doll, "Jenny"

Another favorite Christmas gift, my Flanagan (my mom's high school Alma mater) cheerleading outfit

The Myers Family

The first Christmas in our home

Christmas with the Bowmans

Our first Christmas as a married couple

Our first Christmas with Logan

Logan's first Christmas

Cherishing Moments with Family

I always cherish moments with family. Since most of our immediate family lives at least 2 hours away we don't get to spend time with them very often, but it makes the times that we are together even more special. I'm so grateful for every moment spent with my family and Jesse's family...I wish there were more!

Logan didn't know he was supposed to put the beads on the tree, not himself!

At my dad's house, Logan's favorite toy was the gate!

Grandpa is a great playmate

Visiting a Christmas tree farm with Jesse's family

Hanging out with his aunt, Anneliese

Logan loves it when his dad throws him up in the air

Logan and his cousin, Ryder, are so much fun to watch

Grandma let Logan and Ryder pick out the Christmas lights for the tree...they chose multi-colored lights