While many were glad to be rid of 2014 I found myself thankful for a year of healing and moving forward and basically peace. Now, all those words have different meanings to different people. But I would say those words for this last year. I was thankful for an ordinary year. Let's me be perfectly clear there were bumps, and shoves, and things that I wished we didn't have to deal with. However, they weren't significantly life changing and in comparison to things that happened in recent past they were relatively small. In comparison to things that many of our friends and family have endured they were merely blips on the radar. Ordinary. I am SO thankful for ordinary...not dull or boring...but ordinary.
2014...
...was the year we got to know our neighbors. After about five years in this house we finally know the people that live around us. Not just, "Hey, good to see you" know them but enough that some of them are letting us really enter into their lives with them. We have walked through divorce, death of a parent, cancer, and more. One has even come to a new faith in Jesus and we are hoping to be a further encouragement to them. It's been a good year in this regard especially in a time when many just drive in their garages, close the door, and never know the people that live next door.
...was the year that we changed churches not once, but twice. One we left on good terms and the other closed its doors. We are not church hoppers and this situation completely drives us all bananas. We have landed in a place that seems to be a good fit for us now, while not perfect (no church is), we can be happy and bloom where we are planted. This situation would be what I would consider a "shove" that I would prefer not to deal with. But we must press on.
...Miss L started 1st grade and learned to read. She made tremendous strides in her reading during our Christmas break. More on that in another post.
...We went on vacation to Seattle for the first time since I was pregnant with Miss L. We had such a good time there as a family. Miss L is convinced that we should move there. So much so that she prays for it every. night.
...was the year that we plugged in with other homeschooling families with children in the same age range as our children. It has been fun to adventure out and learn together about variety of things. New friends with different backgrounds. Um, no... I am not worried about socialization. My kids will start up a conversation with just about anyone.
...was the year that we saw the end of the diaper stage in our home. Miss S potty trained (quickly) in June and we have never looked back. It's a new freedom and a little sad sometimes, too. Although the toilet paper consumption has gone up exponentially, it's still cheaper than diapers.
...was the first year that I intentionally read the bible from cover to cover. I'm sad that it was not anything that I ever did while I was in full time ministry. Sure, I studied most of the bible but I am not confident that I had read the WHOLE of the bible. It will become a yearly endeavor from here on out. Such a fruitful thing to do.
See? A pretty ordinary year... love it.
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