It's been too long. I've lost all my blogging skills.
I just reread 11 years of Christmas letters to try to remember how to write these.
Looking back, I'm remembering all of the crazy things we've done and noticing that almost every year was "a crazy year" where we "learned so much!" I'm finally old enough to be able to see some common threads being used in the tapestry of my life: treasuring my relationship with my grandparents, devotion to my kids, passion for cross-cultural experiences, love of family.
This year has been another growing year (but show me the year that wasn't) for me personally and spiritually. It was a year in which the shadow of grief often felt too dark. Having lost Gramps, moved out of our beloved townhouse in the cul-de-sac, begun processing previously unprocessed childhood abuse, known too many terminal cancer cases, and given up our dream of co-living with Steven's parents, there have probably been more tears cried this year than any other. No wonder it has taken 3 therapists to get through the year! But the moments of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love have shown even brighter this year because of all the darkness.
We felt so loved and supported during the moving process and absolutely fell in love with our Welty House. It makes hosting a breeze! and takes our stress levels down several notches just by having carpeted floors to dampen the noise of four healthy, exuberant kids.
Husband took on a new physical challenge this year: running a marathon! He achieved his goal despite a hot and humid race day leaving him with more to be desired.
The Lenten season was especially meaningful to me this year as I gave up doubting. I didn't know if it was even possible, but it turned out to be a sweet time of setting aside the questions, leaning in to teaching my kids and myself what Jesus said, and focusing on spending more time with the Being I believe to be my Creator. Other significant changes this year include the afore mentioned therapy, routinely babysitting a nephew and a niece, accepting a new case with The Young Center, bringing Grammy along to church services while she could tolerate it for the first half the year, and joining a homeschool co-op.
The kids continue to be content to be homeschooled, though some of them would like to be out of the house more often than others. Thus far, we've avoided the busyness that sports and activities bring with them, but it may be time to add some of those in 2024. Our interest in world schooling was limited to 4 U.S. States this year: NJ for a beach trip with some siblings; IN, MI, and OH to see family and 3 Great Lakes. However, we did enjoy foods from multiple countries, as my travel-loving Aunt dutifully planned meals each month to go along with the country of the month. New for the girls is the discovery that Welty Avenue can make them rich, as even on a random, rainy Tuesday, they made $100 selling homemade cookies and brownies. I was proud of them for their initiative in holding an extra bake sale to raise funds to distribute to poor people in Guatemala next year. Despite being sworn to a pet-free lifestyle, we broke down and gifted our pet loving daughter a gold fish and ant farm. The ants are already dead--another grief not mentioned in the previous list.
This is longer, less funny, and lacking pictures, but it is what I could muster.
May you be well and do good work in 2024.
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