It’s been a month of making joyful “proper fusses” and unfortunately, making sad ones, too.
We ushered in October with me on a plane to the west coast, where, over the next 8 days, I would make five flights and be in 3 cities, making “proper fusses” over very happy events.
First stop: Oakland, CA, where granddaughter Rachel and I landed from our flight in D.C. to celebrate granddaughter Ana’s 13th birthday. The two had conspired during Papa-Gigi Camp back in July that this would be the perfect way to honor this significant birthday milestone, and we all agreed. The week was full of fun, from shopping, crafting, going to the Alameda beach (and swimming!), spending a day with Auntie Lisa, and laughing and talking instead of sleeping. It was just what the girls desired and tears flowed when it came to an end.
Home from Kona on Wednesday, March 4 (off a red-eye), we had a full day counseling on the 5th and then hopped a flight to Boston early on the 6th to speak for the Seven Mile Road Church marriage conference in Melrose, MA.
We were both honored and thrilled to be speaking for the first time for this church, which is home to a number of people we’ve known for many years. Katie O’Hara Ryou (and her husband Marvin) were the instigators of this event and we were so delighted to partner with them. We’ve known Katie since youth group days with our daughters at Grace Chapel, and just in recent years have reconnected with her. She and Marvin attended a conference we spoke for last year in Melrose and that planted the seed for their church hosting us.
We were home the WHOLE month of December and it was good.
We continued walking five miles a day, praying for snow, and preparing for our family Christmas reunion: the first one in New England since 2015 and the first all being together for Christmas since 2019.
We had very high expectations.
Ministry events in December included Engagement Matters, the Patriots women’s study, and LOTS of counseling, but that left plenty of time for decorating the house inside and out, getting together with friends, wrapping and sending packages, sewing Christmas jammies, making gingerbread houses, and preparing for our long-awaited reunion which was to commence the 22nd of December.
Since my last post on Dec. 27, we’ve only been home eight days.
Maybe that contributes to me forgetting that when I last wrote, my reflections ended with Engagement Matters (EM), which was held Dec. 4–5, and not after Christmas, which the blog post date would indicate.
Whatever the reasons, before I write about our most recent last three weeks—which literally took us to the four corners of our great nation—we must finish December. Strangely, that seems SO long ago already. But what fun to sift back through my December photo library and have many sweet memories surface.
It happened.
The “decades birthday-family reunion” celebration, postponed for a full year, is now in the books, but even more deeply, in our hearts.
It was uncertain until an hour before the six flying from Oakland were to depart due to two lost Covid tests, but mercifully, new tests were done at 6 am, the results of which were registered less than 60 minutes prior to boarding.
The trip was on.
Happy 4th of July week!! As we celebrate the birthday of our country, we are especially thankful for the freedoms we have but so often take for granted. Even with her noticeable flaws (since after all, all countries are inhabited by sinful people!), America continues to grant us rights that many don’t have. Let’s celebrate the good and be part of the solution for the bad.
Welcome July with a bang!!
