Out with the Old...

2022, is over, and 2023 is set to begin.  There was something always a bit sad to me as a kid, when I would think about the year ending.  I'm not exactly sure why... maybe it was just this sense that I needed to stop and reflect on all that had been, before I could embrace the new.

Having spent 31 years as missionaries in Ecuador, I became quite familiar with the sadness of "good-byes" and the joy of the "hellos"...  I learned that it was natural to try and guard your heart from the pain of the "good-bye"... to "check-out", before, and not let yourself feel that hurt, but I also learned that if I allowed myself to do that, I missed out on so much.  So I worked hard to be "present" till the last "good-bye" was said, and yes, there was definitely pain and hurt, but there were way fewer regrets, because I knew that I had allowed myself to be loved and to love on the people that were there in that moment. 

So I have been applying those same principals to ending the old year and starting the new.  To be totally present and to remember.  So what are some of the highs and lows of 2022...

Our son Teddy moved to a city about 1 1/2 hours away from us.  I am so proud of him, as I have watched him grow and serve.  He is always learning and serving someone.  There are several stories I could share, but they are his stories so I will just leave it that I'm one proud Momma. 

We experienced what it was like to "go to court" and are so very thankful for the amazing Christian lawyer and Christian caseworkers God has placed in our path.

Tony made  trips to Peru and Belize, and both of us were able to make a trip to back to Manta!  I have to say that was definitely a highlight for me! 

We continued to teach 4th grade Sunday School at our church and that has been a joy.  There is just something exciting to see kids get excited about spiritual things and open up their eyes to the work of Missions around the world.

I have enjoyed sharing the teaching load for the Kids 4 Truth group time, and this past Fall Tony joined in taking care of the game time during Kids 4 Truth.

In March, Tony and I traveled to MO, where we had the priveledge of teaching in a Marriage Conference and we also enjoyed spending time with one of our daughters and her family.  (Nana, definitely loves all the time she can get with the grandkids!)

Our daughter, Ashley and her family came for a visit in August and that was fun time.  Love having time with my grandkids, but also love watching them having "cousin time" together.  The house was full, but it was a fun time.

Also in August our daughter, Carla, started her working at the church in the Mother's Day Out program. This was a big deal for her, and it has been such an amazing experience for her.  

In September we had the joy of traveling the Michigan, and visiting with long time friends, and partners. When we first became went to Ecuador in 1988, our sending church was in Michigan.  On the way back home we had the joy of stopping in Ohio and visiting with our daughter, Amanda and her family.  

In October, we got to make a short trip over to NC, to visit our good friends the, Wells!  Joe and Sylvia were like Grandparents to my kids while they were growing up in Ecuador.  It was such a joy to get to spend a couple days with them. 

The trip to Ecuador was in November... 

Then we had the blessing of hosting Thanksgiving with our family here.  

Christmas this year has been different, but that is ok.  I realized early on that without really realizing it we had moved from one season in our life to another. (Isn't it odd, how that happens and there isn't like a big warning or annoucement... you just realize things have changed.) Anyway, our daughter, Lexi and her family had the opportunity to travel to MO to be with Jonathan's family for Christmas, so we had Christmas with them on the 18th.  What I realized this year, was that we didn't have "kids" in the house anymore...  I know Teddy and Carla are just a year older than they were, but Teddy having moved out and Carla now 19 and working and Matt not here... so many of the traditions, (which I loved watching my older daughters do with their own children) were not really relevant anymore. So I realized I could do a couple different things.  I could be sad, and mourn the changes... I could just not do any of the things, that we had always done... or I could embrace the change, do things that I wanted to do, but also rest and focus on the joy of the season.  

I decided, I would decorate the house... honestly I did do less than I have in the past, but anyone coming in and looking would not realize it! Only if you saw the tubs of full decorations that weren't used would you know that I had chosen to do less. LOL!  I baked some cookies.  Not tons, but all our favorites.  I had my two Grandkids that live near us, here to do some baking and they decorated little gingerbread houses.  I decided, I wanted to make a gingerbread house, so I did, and then gifted it to some friends in our church that have 5 children.  I read my advent devotional everyday,  hung my ornament on the tree, and looked forward with anticipation to Christmas.  I honestly feel like it is one of the best Christmases we have had, Not that we ever really had any "bad Christmas"... but, I feel like we were able to greet this "new season" in our lives, with joy.  

There are so many other things that happened, that I didn't write about, but I feel like we had a really good year... ups and downs like everyone, but I feel very blessed to have been here to experience it, and to grow and learn.  

What are things things that jump out at you when you look back over 2022?  Can you count your blessings? Is the glass half full or half empty?