Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Catching Up...

Has it been eight months since I've written?  Seriously??  So much has happened this year and reflecting back on it, 2015 is wrapping up to be a banner year for our family, for me, and for renewed relationships.

We moved...new home, new neighborhood, new friends, yet keeping all the best of the old.  Not even knowing we were going to do this, we purchased a new home, sold our old home, moved, settled in, and love our new lives without forgetting what got us here...each other and our commitment to each other first and foremost.  There were times during the process, I'm sure Kristine would have loved to strangle me, but she didn't and I'm thankful for that.  Now, we're settled in and learning to enjoy our new home and life.

Jade is driving!  Seriously folks, how did this happen??  Colleges are starting to recruit her!  How in the world can this be happening already?  Yet, it seems to be right.  She's making good decisions, thinking through her processes, and enjoying being a teenager.  We're laying the foundation and she's building a beautiful model of what her life is going to look like...compassion, consideration, responsibility, and enjoyment.  Balance and awareness, that's all we can show her, the rest is up to her and she appears to be watching, listening, and heeding.

Ryan and grandpa.  Here are two men in my personal life that mean more to me than anyone in my current life could know without knowing me back in my younger days.  Having both of them come back into my life this summer has fulfilled me in a way I didn't know I was empty.  Being able to share them with Kristine and Jade...priceless.

Kristine.  This woman never ceases to amaze me!  She loves unconditionally and completely.  I will work with everything in me everyday to ensure she has what makes her happy because that's what she does for me.  We just celebrated our five year anniversary, but we've experienced so many new "firsts" still this year, I can't wait to see what our list entails in the next year.

A wonderful year thus far.  So much going on, but the blessings are bountiful and plenty.  Taking care of family has been central this year and the results speak for themselves.  Sometimes the simple things are the big things.  Positive perspective produces positive people...the proof is in the pudding!