2024 Year in Review

Greetings, Friends.

I don't know where else to start but in the here and now, so allow me to work backwards through the year. 

December has been a deep, cleansing breath. We made space in our schedule by taking the month off from our weekly homeschool co-op, and filled the space back up with all the family activities we've come to enjoy and anticipate this time of year. These activities point us toward joy and wonder. I'm currently learning how important joy is for our brains and our connections with each other and God in the book "The Other Half of Church." Highly recommend. This month has also allowed time and space to reevaluate how I'm homeschooling. I appreciated Husband's help in redirecting me back towards our goals and my strengths in teaching: baking, reading, writing, researching, conversations, games.

At Dillsburg's Christmas Tree Lighting in the Square

Showing cousin Maya the Tree

A dusting of snow scooped out of the neighbor's yard yields a sizeable snowperson!

November was the slow tapering of our stuffed fall schedule. Notes for 2025: say "no" to some of the good things that start up in the fall. I enjoyed my first weekend away without husband or kids since...ever! The weekend was a sweet time of sharing and connecting deeply with sisters (once I got past the anxiety of not being in either of my two main roles). We celebrated our nine-year-old and marinated in gratitude for our many blessings.

breaking our Anabaptist tradition of opting out of supporting earthly powers because voting against a certain tyrant whose rhetoric does real damage felt important.

I've always loved fall, but this year, a friend shared why she's always hated it and I couldn't help but see death all around me after that (thanks, Emily 🙄). October felt dark and dangerous, but with candy. I started EMDR therapy, which was sometimes exhilarating, but more often draining. I am positive that healing through EMDR is behind much of the peace and joy I am able to feel currently in December. Bigger events this month included Homecoming, Farmer's Fair, a trip to Naylor observatory, and, of course, Trick-or-treating. 

We had the best time at Messiah University's homecoming activities (I even wore Grammy's shirt since she claimed it as her alma mater too). Eliana's thumbs are down because she's become a swinging bridge snob and this one rated significantly lower than the ones in Guatemala.

death, but make it pretty.

Our *sweetest* Halloween tradition.

September brought the start of co-op and a more formal school schedule. Eliana began her writing and math classes at the public school, which meant she needed somewhere else to be on Wednesdays when we were away at co-op all day. Our associate pastor graciously agreed to take her under her wing in an internship of sorts, which is one of Eliana's favorite parts of the week. Along with the start of school came a chili cookoff (that turned out to be award-winning for Steven), apple-cider making, Charlie's first attempt at soccer, Oswald's second season of soccer (Steven's first time coaching!), Eliana's first dance class, a family beach trip, a girls weekend away with my girls and Conrady sisters-in-law, a memorial service for my precious Grammy, and a PTSD diagnosis. I have learned a lot about how to recognize my triggers and calm myself, but some days it is still very much an uphill battle.

I treasured the time together with Grammy's sister and brother and their families the weekend of the memorial service.

We bought and planted our first trees ever on the same weekend as the memorial. It was a very soothing and grounding activity.

In August we attempted to swim as much as possible. We also discovered a near-by "pump track." We celebrated 12 years of marriage and said goodbye to my sweet Grammy this month. It was hard and sad and was made worse by close proximity to unsafe people who were also saying goodbye. I am grateful for some wonderful last visits with Grammy during which she was sometimes more alert than she had been in months and even responded to our presence by pointing at her great grandkids.

Oswald (7) was so pleased to enjoy his first tea party

  

One of two anniversary dates we got to enjoy. This one included Korealicious takeout eaten on Front St., biking across the walking bridge, and mini golf on City Island.

celebratory homemade ice cream for the summer anniversaries a la Aunt Lynda and Uncle Rodney

 

May, June, and July were glorious months of sun and fun with lots of park meet ups, church softball games, and cousin hangs. We were especially grateful for the friends that shared their blueberry bushes and pools with us and for time with loved ones that normally live oceans away. We made several trips to D.C. and hosted several people in our vacant apartment.

We all got rides on a real live fire truck with the sirens ON for no more reason than the fun of it! 😮

celebrating our 7 year old with some of our favorite Africans

first time at a horse race

 March and April were spent in what has become our home away from home: Guatemala. We ate as much avocado, fresh bread, and poporopos (popcorn chicken!) as our bellies could hold, gazed at the volcanos anytime the air quality and clouds cooperated, played futbol from sunup to sundown, and celebrated Easter in new and different ways. We were delighted that many of our friends from our first trip in 2022 were still there, but expanded our friend group immensely without the Covid restrictions in place this time around. It was interesting to notice that it was harder to be away from Dillsburg this time around. Apparently we got more attached to our friends and family in the two years between our travels - a good thing, no doubt.

absolute favorite view and best morning yoga spot

caught in a rain storm at Lake Atitlan RIP to my sneaker that got lost there.

doing brave things like zip lining and crossing actually impressive suspension bridges

good food + views + friends are never far away

flower carpets for Easter

Massive parades with incense and live bands and heavy, hand-held floats. we were struck by how serious and somber the tone was. They focus on Jesus's suffering. I missed the celebration of his resurrection. 

Futbol is life

this felt like a classic cultural moment: 4 people on a moto.

making authentic fresh corn tortillas over an open fire stove

January and February are birthday season in our house. We celebrated big with a birthday crawl through all the restaurants on the main street of town. Eliana planned hers (10!) so well that we all took notes for future birthdays. In keeping with the celebratory spirit, we threw ourselves a memorable Superbowl party with all of our favorite foods + foods we thought would be advertised often so that we could play our own version of the "drinking game." Besides celebrating, these months were spent soaking up the time we had left with Grammy M and Big Baba living at our Welty house before they moved to Cross Keys Village. This month was also the first of several times this year that Eliana has been invited to sing on a worship team at church. We're grateful for a worship leader that is keen to include kids and a church that is so supportive and loving.