Dear 2019, thanks for the memories!

Posted on January 1, 2020April 15, 2020 by Matt Todd

Christmas family photo in Gatlinburg 2019

I know I say it a lot, but this time I mean it more than almost any other time I’ve said it about any other year: 2019 was a year for the record books. A lot of transition happened as our oldest children took steps that will impact their futures. And that’s a big deal.

I think, though, that 2019 would have been a record-breaking year for our family even if it didn’t include graduations and vocational training and other life-changing activities because of the memories we were able to share together. Here are some highlights of the year that was 2019.

I promise I tried to limit my choices for this highlight reel. From our Wish Kid trip to Florida, to meeting Shawn Mendes, to a magical Christmas in Gatlinburg, we’ve been able to do some pretty amazing things this past year. It was a great way to close out the decade.

I asked the kids what their favorite highlights were from 2019. Here’s what they had to say:

Aiden’s favorite highlight

Not counting graduating from high school or moving away to college, Aiden’s favorite highlight from 2019 is visiting Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.

Aly’s favorite highlight

Aly’s favorite experience of 2019 was meeting Hope the Dolphin and exploring the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This was right up her alley and helped her decide what type of career she wants to pursue.

Mihret’s favorite highlight

When we visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we rode the Slinky Dog Dash over and over and over again. Because Mihret loved it. She talked about it for weeks after we returned home. I’m really not surprised that she chose this as her favorite highlight from 2019.

Thanks for the memories, 2019!

It’s going to be tough for 2020 to live up to the expectations of 2019. There won’t be a trip to Florida, but some pretty fun stuff is coming up in this new year. And we’re here for it. We’ll also be there for it (if you know what I’m saying).

Matt Todd

Howdy. I'm Matt. My wife, Christy, and I have four kids and two dogs, I'm passionate about orphan care. I'm a die-hard fan of the Evansville Aces, the Indiana Hoosiers, and Star Wars. I'm trying to live life by the Todd family motto: "It behooves us to live!"