2010

I thought I'd start a tradition. I'll pick my most favorite camera shots to celebrate at each year's close. Here are my picks from 2010:

 "Birds."

Last Christmas, my brother Scott and his wife Sarah gave us a membership to Hogle Zoo in SLC. It has been fun for me to see my boys' worlds (of experience) expand during our visits there. Perhaps one of the reasons I love this picture so much is that William has started communicating a lot more verbally this year. He'll come up to me and point to something saying, "Gook!" In this picture he's basically doing the same thing, but in sign: looking to me and sharing with me what he sees, what he's discovered.

 My friend, the Grinch

David's sister, Gayla, gave this stuffed Grinch to William when he was just a year or two old. He loves this friend. The Grinch even accompanied William into surgery when he had his tonsils and adenoids removed this fall.

 "Work in the Garden?"

Jonathan has loved being David's helper in our garden this year. He is rather put out if David ever goes out there without him. It makes my heart do little flip flops whenever I see the two of them out in the back yard spending time together.

Singing and Friends

How fun when they go together! I am thankful for the God-given opportunities that I've had this year to sing. I am glad that He knows me, loves me, and wants me to find joy in developing my talents and using them to serve. And I am SO grateful for the dear friends I've made, and for friendships maintained and strengthened this year. Heavenly Father is trying to teach me how to be a better friend, and that I am capable of being the kind of friend I very much want to be.

Blessing Day

My brother-in-law, Levi, is a professional photographer (http://sdesignsphotography.blogspot.com/). He is responsible for the rest of my favorite shots this year. Two of them are of William and Jonathan there at the left of my blog. The shot above captures some of what my brother Dan feels for his daughter, Savannah, born this year. The Bateman Family gathered in Denver to see Dan ordained an Elder and little Savannah blessed by her daddy.

 Family

All of us Batemans got to be together twice this year. Levi took this photo in Denver. And we just spent Christmas together. I loved it. I love any excuse to spend time and strengthen ties with family, whether they be Blacks, Batemans, Nobles, Williams, or our ward (church) family.

'Hope this next year's is as lovely as our last. Happy New Year 2011 to you all!