Well, 2010 is now officially in the books and what a year it was. The Young family had a lot of positive and challenging times. No matter what though, we saw God in all of it. Here it is by month.
January – Started off 2010 fairly uneventful Stephanie was only two months away from her due date. I was working in downtown St. Louis. My brother was finishing his last semester in college, to which my parents were counting the days. The last day of the month was where it got interesting. I received a call from my boss about a possible position just vacated at another property. I would be interviewing in early February for that job.
February – The interview goes very well and I am offered the job. I do accept and begin on February 6, 2010. Back to being a General Manager of a hotel. The wife is only one month away at this point from giving birth to our first son and stops working at this point, the same time we make the final car payment! I finish February on a challenging note by turning 30. This is where Cameron goes from a normal size baby to a larger baby (at least, according to our family and you will have to ask Stephanie about that one).
March – I work until March 9th. We go to the hospital to begin the induction process and well, all heck breaks loose. Fall, brain surgery, big baby and one crazy story. If you would like to relive these days, please read my blog: What a Week, But How Great is Our God?????? I will summarize it by saying, well, How Great is Our God?? I went back to work near the end of March and we had one healthy BIG baby!
April – I was cleared to resume all normal activity after the brain surgery. I went to Hilton School in Memphis, TN. Cameron was growing day by day, which was so incredible to see. Very uneventful compared to the previous month.
May – My brother graduated from college. I could not have been more proud of him and he accepted a full time job in Kansas. Stephanie celebrated her first Mother’s Day. It was cool to not only celebrate my mother on mother’s day, but to celebrate Stephanie on the same day now. My mother also turned 50 something this month too, or as my dad said, the day she is as old as him.
June – We do a family trip and we go to Memphis, New Orleans, Shreveport and Little Rock to see all of our families to show off the baby. We were going through ups and downs at work and several challenging times. I celebrate my first Father’s Day and celebrate it with my father. Just wild to think I celebrate that day too.
July – Well the month starts with a crazy July 4th Weekend due to high pressure toilets thanks to the City of Chesterfield. A LOT of cleanup!! We get more and more involved with our Bible Study, which was a HUGE blessing for us this year.
August – Fairly uneventful month. Cameron was getting bigger. Stephanie was working more in the evenings and weekend so I would take care of my buddy while she was gone. A lot of work this month. My parents celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary.
September – My dad turned 50++ years old, or as my mom says, the day my dad is a year older than her. My brother experiences not going to school for the first time since he can last remember. We have a bi-annual audit at work, three days after a nasty storm sweeps into Chesterfield and knocks out all power. The end of an era begins to take shape.
October – Fairly emotional month. Our family dog of over 14 years is near the end. My brother comes to town one week before he passes to say goodbye. Originally, it was more my father’s and brother’s dog. It turned into more my mother’s dog throughout the years and he was another son for her to be aggravated. I went over on his last night and gave him Beggin’ Strips and a hot dog. I cried a lot and remembered a lot of fun times with him. You can read more by reading the blog: Cody – One Great Dog. It did finish on a positive note as a good friend and Cameron’s godfather came to visit at the very end of the month. We also got to have a Rascals’ reunion while he was in town!
November – Well, it was our first Thanksgiving without Cody, so Cameron did his best to try and eat leftovers. He tries mashed potatoes and turkey and reminds us of feeding the dog extras. Ha! Stephanie does a wonderful job hosting Thanksgiving.
December – The wife celebrates her 30+ birthday, or as I say, the day she is older than me. Cameron’s godmother came to visit over Stephanie’s birthday weekend too. We had a great time while she was here and she got to see a nice snowfall as well! Cameron celebrates his first Christmas and yep, got spoiled. He enjoys beef tenderloin and mashed potatoes at Christmas dinner; however, he seems to dig Cool Whip topping a little more. Many Christmas parties associated with work and had fun at all of them. We saw new friends of ours move away to Jefferson City and wish them nothing but the best!
We have a lot to be thankful for this year and God brought us out of each valley as well. I am excited for the things to happen this year: My first time to San Francisco, friends having their first baby and others having their second or more, Cameron’s first birthday, etc. Exciting 2011 to come!