It didn’t work!!!  I figured that if I waited long enough to write the 2009 highlights perhaps I could get away with doing a 2009 AND 2010…two fer one kinda deal.  But what is a wife for if not for reminding one to do the things he ought to do.  

 

I must say that 2009 started with a bang.  Well, even better than that…a bang, bang, bang.  And that bang is called Maya.  On January 6 she was born to Tony and Hannah, but brought lots of joy to many of us. 

 

We have truly enjoyed spending time with Maya and watching her learn.  Hannah even lets us keep Maya overnight and we so much enjoy having her running around the house.  It is great to be a grandparent, especially of the best little girl in the world.  Ha!!!!

 

Even though the best of 2009 is Maya, there are other things that took place.  Let me quickly share some with you.

 

 There were a few trips and a few visitors that stopped by.  On the trip side, the boys and Dwynette went to Colorado.  While the boys skied, Dwynette, what else, quilted.  Since my skiing days are over, I stayed home and enjoyed some alone time.  :-)  There were also a couple of trips to Birmingham.  One was special because it was to attend the wedding of our nephew Allen and his bride Belinda.   Even Bud looked good and sharp.  There were a few more trips which I will mention later.

 

As far as visitors, my mother came to see us, and every time she comes we so enjoy having her.  And now that she has a great-granddaughter we may get to see her more often.  By the way, my mother has just one granddaughter, Annina, who coincidently was also born on January 6, but in 2008.

 

 In addition, the best in-laws I ever had came to see us a couple of times.  They enjoy driving here, and I expect that in the future they will be driving here in a moving truck.  No, no, no.  My mother-in-law is not moving in with us.  The truck is for her to take home all the yard sale purchases she will make.  By the way, they gave me the best Christmas presents…yes, they gave me more than one.  I think they even love me.  :-)   Since I enjoy music they gave me a Spam can dulcimer and a real player-piano with lots rolls of music.  I really enjoy playing them. 

 

 Their Christmas trip turned into a winter adventure.  In addition to some unfortunate vehicle difficulties, they experienced some of Nebraska’s cold and snowy weather – lots of snow.

 

Over the summer we were also visited by John & Jennifer and their children, and Bud spent a few days with us after a long, long motorcycle trip.

 

Ok.  Let me share a few things about each of us.

 

Dwynette:  The experience Dwynette enjoyed the most was the trip to Europe she made with her mother.  They stayed with Kari Pope in Germany, while Justin was deployed.  They also visited Paris and Austria and had a great time.  Nette also kept busy with her quilting (new machine), and lots of quilting-related things (trips, retreats, classes, speaking engagements, etc.).   She was blessed to keep Maya whenever Tony and Hannah traveled and was also involved in her regular church activities.  Another thing she’s enjoyed is reconnecting with old friends, both in her hometown and via facebook, and especially enjoyed horseback riding with her childhood best friend.

 

Tony and Hannah:  PowerDNN has kept them busy and on the road.  Tony’s company purchased another company, so he’s spent a great deal of his time with that.  They enjoyed several trips, both business and pleasure.  But the best thing is Maya.  Hannah is a great mom and you can tell how much she loves Maya and Maya loves her.

 

Michael:  He has one semester left in the electrical union apprentice course.  However, he is anticipating applying for a commercial slot (he is doing residential) and that will add another two years of schooling.  He continues to teach at a high school working with the drum line.  He went skiing to Colorado and then on a back packing trip on one the Continental Divide trails.  In the fall, he purchased a nice little house about three miles from us.  He plays the drums at church and helps me stay on beat.  Michael also bought a very nice GXSR 1000.  For those of you who don’t know, that’s a crotch rocket motorcycle.  He let me ride it, and boy, what acceleration!  Rory also got a motorcycle.  And so there were some evenings in which we had family rides - Michael, Rory, Dwynette, and I with Jeremy.  Our last stop would be the ice cream shop.

 

Rory: Rory is working for Tony in the billing department.  He also got to do some traveling both for business and pleasure.  He went to Colorado once to snowboard and once for the back packing trip.  He got a new snowboard which he really likes.  Rory continues to serve in the Air Force Reserve which requires he participate in monthly drills…in Missouri.  Rory also moved out.  He is living with Michael.  I miss them, but it is good for both of them.  Rory decided that snowboarding and motorcycle riding did not provide enough of an adrenaline rush, so he picked up skydiving, and got Michael to join him in that.  They have made about 15 jumps each, and can’t wait for the good weather so that they can continue to jump.  They are trying to convince me to try it.  I think I might - just before the rapture.

 

Jeremy:  Jeremy changed jobs, and is now working at Arby’s again.  He enjoys it very much and is a good worker.  He also went to Alabama and skiing in Colorado.  His grandparents gave him a car for Christmas and he has been riding in style.  He is taking classes at a community college and has taught himself to play guitar.  He is a talented musician.  Jeremy also went on a trip to Philadelphia where he had a chance to spend time with my side of the family.  We were not there long, but were able to do some site-seeing – including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall,  the Philadelphia Mint, Christ Church Burial ground where Benjamin Franklin is buried, and some of the best cheese steak shops in the area.  :-)  It was all fun.  Jeremy ran his second half-marathon of the year there.  He also ran the Papillion (our hometown) half-marathon. 

 

And finally me.  The sad news is that the jail ministry I had been involved for a few years came to an end, but I am sure the Lord will open up other doors.  I had the chance to teach through the gospel of John in Sunday School, which was a great time in the Word.  Currently I am teaching through 1 and 2 Thessalonians.  I am also in the process of working out the details for a lunch-time Spanish Bible study at work.  The Lord willing, it will come about.  I, too, spent some time running in 2009.  I joined Jeremy for the half-marathons in Papillion and Philadelphia.  We were joined by my brother Frank in the Philadelphia half.  It was great spending time with his family, my parents, and sisters.  In addition to the two half-marathons, I also ran a 7-mile cross country race in Iowa that was a blast.  It was in late November, so it was cold; there were seven creek crossings, up and down hills, in the mud, and who knows what else.  There were 7,000 participants and more than half of them were in costumes…including me (I was an original Superhero).  At one point just about a half a mile into the race I heard behind me a man commenting, “I think this is going to be harder than what I thought it would be.”  So I turned around to see this gentleman about my age running in a straight jacket.   I would have liked to see him going through the creeks which had high banks.  Michael, Rory, and Jeremy plan to join me this year.  My job status changed last year.  I still do the same work for the same organization, but no longer as a contractor.  In August my job was converted to a Government Services (GS) position and I was offered the job.

 

The Lord is gracious and allowed us to have a great year.  Yet the most important thing is to serve Him and to serve Him well, no matter what the circumstances are for He alone is Lord.

 

May 2010 bring all of us closer to the Lord.