Jam-Packed Hiatus! The 2013 Edition

Settling into our house and slowing down our lives a bit was the theme of 2013.  For me, slowing down was somewhat forced due to a pretty significant injury to my ankle.  This picture is not for the faint of heart, so view with caution.

Call it "hanging on to your youth" or "meeting age head on".  Whatever you call it, I was reminded within the first month of 2013 that I needed to slow down.  It happened while scrimmaging against Gus' soccer team.  A ball went passed me and as I turned the opposite direction, my ankle rolled over as I planted it in the ground.  You know that sound of jello being squished through your teeth?  That's kind of what I remember hearing.  I could feel my shoe getting tighter and tighter.  And after two days of rest and ice, the picture above was the result.  I had to stay isolated in a boot for one month.  The only time I could take it off was to take a shower...on one foot.  And after another month of physical therapy and slowly testing it, I was able to feel more comfortable running on it.  God gets our attention in the strangest ways sometimes.  I think what God was telling me through this was that I need to take it easy.  So that was what I tried to do--take it easy!

We had our usual first quarter of the year of birthdays--Gracie, Beedle, Gus, James and JoJo--all within 58 days of each other.  They all celebrated with cakes and family!

Beedle was in CYT's winter production of Honk.  He played Bewick, Penny's younger brother.  Beedle's claim to fame was the most adorable line of the play:  "For what do we have if we don't have hope?!?!"  Coming from his soft voice, it was adorable.  

Spring continued on with two other Chopin boys playing spring sports.  Gus played spring soccer, a somewhat shortened season from the longer fall season.  It helped keep his skills sharp and fed his appetite for competition.  James stepped onto the competitive field for the first time in the spring and became the first Chopin to play organized t-ball.  It was absolutely adorable to see him in an over-sized uniform, wearing a helmet that weighs more than he does, jogging joyfully around the bases.  Most first-timers to t-ball lack game awareness and struggle with focus.  James was not different.  He truly embodied the spirit of t-ball--have fun and make friends.  That was exactly what he did as he became quite the socialite both out in the field, around the bases and in the dugout.  And his skills seemed to get better as the year went on.  We are very proud of how he played and the joyful spirit he brought to every game and practice.

 

It was also a special spring for Gracie, as she made her First Communion.  Another Chopin with a deeper relationship with Jesus!  After a beautiful ceremony, we hosted a crawfish boil to celebrate her special occasion.

As spring winded down, Gus, Beedle and I prepared for a guys trip.  We took a canoe trip on the Buffalo River in Arkansas.  Along with some other families, we made the four-day trek along the river, getting off only one day for inclement weather.  It was a tremendous experience for us to be out in nature, to be out "roughing it" with friends, and make some memories that will never be forgotten.  Here are some pics from the trip:

Another highlight of the spring was JoJo learning to walk.  Here is a video from the night he took his first few steps:

Over the summer we joined the Riverside pool.  This was a great opportunity to spend the summer swimming.  Almost every day the Chopins were at the pool getting some sun, diving, soaking and playing with friends.  It was a very active summer and we definitely felt like we got our money's worth.  

Gracie also participated in her ballet studio's production of Anne in Rhyme Land.  Gracie worked very hard and seemed to be very comfortable performing on stage in the London Bridge scene.  Much like her brother Beedle, she has an affinity for entertaining.

As fall approached, we dove right back into CYT, soccer and ballet.  Beedle was in the production of Wizard of Oz and played one of the munchkin teachers, a perfect role for him.  Caleb kick-started another season of soccer and helped lead his team to a second-place finish in his league.  It was great to see his leadership and leg-strength improve this year.  And he retained the title of hardest worker on the team!  Another one playing soccer this year was James!  He brought his joyous spirit to the soccer field, and much like t-ball, improved greatly as the season went on.  He even scored a couple of goals in his last few games.  Soccer is a good sport for our family--it is fantastic exercise, good competition and a great opportunity for our home-schooled children to learn the values of teamwork and fair play.  We hope that it continues to be a part of our family (and it appears JoJo is following in his brothers' footsteps). 

Halloween, always a fun time of year for the kiddos, was in a monsoon.  Still, they sacrificed dryness for candy and came home with enough loot to cover the living room floor.

As for me, I kept busy with my favorite hobby--playing music!  Get Back welcomed a new drummer in 2013 and we played a bunch of really fun shows, Dancing with the Stars, Summer Carnival, Food Truck Round Up, A Taste of Crowley and Noel Au Village.  We even had a guest-appearance from another Chopin, as Gus joined us on stage for a Christmas performance.  As the responsibilities of being a father, husband and provider can sometimes be heavy, it is nice to have a hobby that allows me to let of some steam in a healthy and creative way.  And I can't say enough how grateful I am to have a wife who allows me to have this hobby.  

And with all of the blessings in our slowed-down 2013, God saw fit to give us one more blessing; one that we certainly did not see coming, but welcome with open arms.  We are expecting Chopin baby #6 in May of 2014!    

Looking back, I don't think we were any less busy in 2013 than in 2012.  But I think we were able to slow down and embrace it.  All of our lives are busy--sometimes we realize it, other times we don't.  I think 2013 was a year that didn't feel like it was jam-packed.  I'm glad that God slowed us down--even if we didn't necessarily volunteer to slow down.  Hopefully there will be a continuation of peace in our hearts in 2013.