A Year In Review 2019

As I thought over all that happened in 2019, it has been hard for me to wrap my mind around it. With so many changes, I wanted to record it all while it was fresh in my mind. Maybe this will only be a record for me and perhaps my children one day, to remember the year that is now coming to a close. But maybe it will be a reminder of God's faithfulness and how He cared for our family.



January
We launched another season of Upward Basketball, with Addie enrolled in dance classes on the same night. Lael began rehearsals for her role in Meet Me in St. Louis. Lauren, Addie, and I started a science class with a few friends and hosted weekly labs. It was also in January that Josh and I began to realize that it would be beneficial for our family if I found a more consistent source of income. Knowing that it was likely Lael was heading away to college later in the year, as well as wanting to start putting ourselves into a better financial position for the future, it was time for me to make a change. I applied for a few part-time jobs and waiting to see what God would do.

February
Upward Basketball & dance class continued. Musical rehearsals continued. Science labs continued. And job interviews began. After about 20 years at home and working for Josh, I had to dust off my interview skills and be a grown up. One of the interviews went very well, and I was called for a second interview with the organization's executive director. When they called to schedule the interview, I panicked, ignored the call, listened to their voicemail, only to call them back and leave a voicemail. I told them that I didn't think it was a good time for me to re-enter the workforce, yadayadayada. While all this was happening, I was texting a friend. She told me that it didn't make any sense to her, but she felt that she was supposed to send a photo of her area rug. And explain that sometimes to get the margins where you want them, you have to move all the furniture. You have to rearrange things, even if it's hard. It felt like a very timely messag efor me, as I was unsure that I was supposed to rearrange our schedule for a potential new job. As this happened, another friend texted that she was praying for me and felt like she was to tell me that God had a hand in all of this job stuff, that it wasn't over. Then - the woman I had left a babbling, crazy voicemail with called me back and asked again if I would just please come in for an interview. She said I was one of their top candidates and they'd really like the chance to speak to me again. So I went. And two days later, I was offered a job with Cornell Cooperative Extension as an after school educator.  Then the real fun began.

March
I started my new job on March 11. For the first two weeks of the month, I scrambled to wrap up my position as a properties manager and help to train the person that was taking my position. We were also still in the middle of what we decided would be my last year as the coordinator for Upward Basketball. My girls majorly stepped up and helped to fill in some of the holes that came with me having a new schedule. Lauren turned 12. We had a wonderful wrap up to our basketball season. Musical rehearsals and dance classes continued. And we adjusted to me working out of the home for 20 hours a week. Lael also took a weekend trip to visit Houghton College and decided as long as the financing could work - that was the school for her.

April
Musical rehearsals were in full swing. Lael's role as Esther Smith was keeping her very busy. Alyssa was in the ensemble and began joining her at most rehearsals. We also started planning Lael's graduation party a bit more. School continued, with a bit more rigid of a schedule so we could be mostly wrapped up before I left for work each day. My parents arrived towards the end of April for their spring/summer visit. Lauren and Addie wrapped up our science class. Alyssa faithfully did her schoolwork and helped with the younger girls while I worked.

May
May began with three amazing performances of Meet Me in St. Louis. It was so fun to watch. Lael was a fabulous Esther. Then the lasts began for our first graduate. Last Friday Program. Last Academy Night. Last Class Dinner. Last Class Trip. And party planning was in full swing. We were going all out for our sanguine girl. A tent was rented. A menu decided. Invites went out. Tables, chairs, and a grill secured. Food ordered. A graduation party like none other, at least for our moderately sized homeschool community. We were planning for about 150 people. And through the month, I just kept waiting and praying for good weather. It had to be nice out, I kept telling the Lord and anyone that asked. Through it all, the other girls beautifully supported and helped and served their sister. The work on our lawn and in the garden was never ending.

June
Lael and Alyssa returned from the Class Trip to New York City. Addie performed wonderfully in her dance recital. And then. Graduation. We watched our first graduate march across the same stage she had gotten her kindergarten and 8th grade certificates on, where she sang and performed and worshipped the Lord. She gave a beautiful speech. I just assumed my role of photographer, as I had during Meet Me In St. Louis, watching her greet so many friends that had been a part of her high school career. I tried to just take it all in, choosing to not record her speech and only taking photos after her graduation ceremony was over. Then it was party time. The weather - perfect. Family from near and far joined us, even those that traveled hours to spend a bit of time celebrating with us. Friends upon friends upon friends just kept coming. I have no idea how many people were here throughout the day. Josh and I just cooked and refilled and greeted and thanked all day long. It was busy and exhausting, but perfect. Then we began college preparations, as the financing had been secured and Lael was heading to Houghton College in the fall.

July
My phone was broken early in July, but thankfully I got most of the photos off of it and we had an extra iPhone 5 at home. A downgrade, but it suited my needs. For the month of July, my work schedule changed slightly and I had to work longer hours at a day camp program. It made for a very long month. Alyssa was a huge help, as were my parents. Lael was working at a day camp full time. As often as I could fit it in, we went to our local lakeside beach. We worked in our garden. We also hosted another large party - a church picnic for over 100 people. It was rainy and a little crazy but so fun. I hope it’s a new tradition. Sadly, we also started to notice that our yellow lab Max was declining rapidly. We would watch him while he was sleeping, noticing how his breathing was becoming erratic and he would seem to just not breath for an uncomfortably long time. We tried to keep him comfortable and to spend a bit of extra attention on him. Also sometime during the summer, a couple of friends and I decided to write a curriculum for study in the fall. We wanted to study New York State in depth. It was during July that we finished the rough draft of the curriculum and got commitment from friends that wanted their children to take the class as well. We planned to launch the Empire Seminar in September of 2019 with biweekly group meeting for about 40 students. Parents had a curriculum guide to follow during the week. It was so much work but we were really excited to have something new and fresh to look forward to.

August
College preparations were going well. We were gathering a whole new household it seemed, to send our girl off to the next season of her life. Josh and Lael both were working a lot. My hours were a bit more relaxed for August, which was so nice. My parents rented a campsite about 30 minutes away for a long weekend at the beginning of the month. The weather was perfect. The St. Lawrence River was gorgeous. The fishing was fun. But sadly, our dog Max didn't make it through our long weekend away. It was not unexpected, but it's still so sad to lose a pet. However, we didn't have much time to mourn as we had planned weeks earlier that good friends were coming to visit  the following weekend. Lael, Lauren, and Addie also participated in a musical theater camp. We ate good food, went garage saling, went hiking and got caught in a rainstorm, and just enjoyed each other's company. Then it was time to check the final boxes off. We were dropping Lael off at college. That same weekend, Alyssa and Lauren went with the youth group on a camping trip. To say it was an emotional roller coaster really doesn't even cover it.

September
Another year of school began.  The Empire Seminar launched with little issue. It was a great balance of at home, daily work as well as group work. And soon after that - the autumn of broken things began. It sounds dramatic, but that's really what it felt like. My coffee maker broke. Our refrigerator began to flash error codes. Both cars needed major repairs. It was exhausting and stressful and too much for us to even have considered being prepared for after throwing a huge graduation party and sending our oldest off to college. Josh wisely kept reminding me that while inconvenient, we were not in any emergency situations. We chipped away at repairs on the vehicles, as my travel for work increased when school began. Addie began dance classes. And in the ultimate stretch out of my comfort zone - I joined Alyssa, Lauren, and Addie at auditions for roles in A Christmas Carol: The Musical. We were all excited to have such a fun opportunity, to be in a theater production together.

October
As we finished up the first round of repairs on our vehicles and picked up Lael for a brief mid-October break, our oven also broke. The refrigerator at this point was not functioning. We decided to replace the stove, but use our two mini-fridges and upright freezer while we just paused to take a breath. It was a very overwhelming season but we always had what we needed, right at the moment we needed it. I just kept telling Josh that we needed a new fridge before Thanksgiving. School was going wonderfully and we were all really enjoying the Empire Seminar.  Addie turned 9 and Alyssa turned 16. She got her permit and the season of teaching another driver began. I think there was another round of car repairs in late October but they were not as major. It began to feel like we could breath again.

November
Rehearsals for A Christmas Carol began. Work was going well for Josh and for me. School was going great for the girls, as they were all making great progress and the Empire Seminar was something we all looked forward to. We also purchased a new refrigerator, just as I'd hoped (prayed, begged) before Thanksgiving. We soon realized that our schedule would be quickly filled up with rehearsals, as opening day for the show felt like it was coming quickly. Thanksgiving was a wonderful day, with friends joining us for our annual Turkey cook-off. Josh finally beat me. We did some Black Friday shopping, ate too much pie, and enjoyed a relaxing long weekend with Lael home. We got our Christmas tree and were able to get some decorating done before she had to go back to college.

December
The first two weeks of December and the last two weeks of December couldn't have been more different. The first two weeks were busy - all about the musical, ending with our performances on December 12, 13, & 14. The performances were fun and stretching and exciting. And then it was done. Christmas was in two weeks and I was woefully unprepared. But with that realization was also a wonderful feeling of freedom from any expectations of big gifts and extravagant celebrations. It was amazing. Josh and I snuck away for a day to shop, getting almost everything we planned in just a couple of hours. We picked Lael up after a successful first semester of college. And we settled in for a very low-key Christmas celebration. We baked cookies and mailed them to family. We wrapped thoughtful gifts and teased each other about what might be awaiting them on Christmas morning. We celebrated Christmas Eve with our good friends, as we have for the last 9 years, ending with the Candlelight Service at church. Christmas Day was slow and lazy and fun. And now we are in that odd week between Christmas and the New Year. I also finally got a great deal on a newer phone which came at just the right time. When I tried to get a new sim card for the iPhone 5 (so it could be an emergency phone at home) I was told it was incompatible and would be completely unusable on January 1. So if I had waited just a few days longer, I would have been without a phone and be forced to spend more than I wanted on a replacement. Little things like that are what reminds me that God is in the silly, mundane details. And I was very blessed.


So with that, the year is dwindling to a close. We have all four of our girls home for a couple of weeks. Our work schedules allowed both Josh and I several days off, to just do nothing and everything. But calendars have already been pulled out, filling in college break schedules and work training trips. It was a long year, full of changes and new seasons. But I firmly believe that we are all right where God would have us, to live out His Gospel of faithfulness and restoration for those around us.



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