“Uneventful” is an adjective we used to describe 2015, as we reflected upon the year together. After last year, we were ready for an uneventful year. Late February and early March brought about a big change for us with the closing of our church. Our church had played such an important role as we started our lives and our family together. We’re still thankful for the life and growth we experienced while we were a part of Mystery Church. March brought about another big change as well. After a lot of thought and prayer, and a trip to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, we decided to let go of our dream of full-time coffee business, and we set out to sell our coffee roasting company. With little effort, we were able to sell it. Just a couple of days ago I thought, “I’m so glad we did it…and I’m so glad to be done.” I figure that’s a good place to be. In April, Abigail and I celebrated 6 years of marriage with a romantic 15.5 mile trail run through the woods of north-central Oklahoma. We ended the anniversary weekend watching the sun rise together…on US Highway 412, as we drove east to meet Ivan and Abigail’s parents at the Freeman Emergency Room. Thankfully, he only had the croup.
We were thankful to have what seemed to be the first laid back, restful summer that we can remember. We spent some time with friends in St. Louis and enjoyed the zoo and the industrial playground of the city museum. We were also able to enjoy some vacation time with both of our families in Branson and Kansas City. Amos turned 4 in July. His attention to detail and conscientious nature really remind us of someone (Hint: not me). He is incredibly curious and full of wonder. It is cool to see him begin to soak in the story of God’s love for us in Jesus and ask us questions, and come up with songs of his own, and say things that we would never imagine.
By the middle of the summer, we had begun to settle into a new church: Christ’s Church of Joplin. We are incredibly thankful for this place, and are amazed to see God provide this community of people, that we would have moved a long way to be a part of, right here in Joplin. August began another change, as I started a new job at the high school. We had begun asking God to provide some kind of change in my job last December, and we are very thankful for the change. It has definitely been my most enjoyable year of teaching. Abigail also started officially teaching Amos during his pre-school year in August. She is such a gifted teacher, and it is exciting to see her reallyget to put her gift to use in more tangible ways again. She is looking at the possibility of starting classical Christian education with Amos in the fall. I said the only downside I see to this is that my whole family will soon be smarter than me.
We have continued to make some very slow progress on projects with our house. In September, however, we had to very quickly put on a new roof in one weekend, with some much-appreciated help from family and friends. Also, Abigail can’t stand odd numbers, so we decided to bring the number of children to a nice round number of four. We are expecting this new addition in May. Silas turned three in the month of October. Silas is good-natured, laid back, and has a distinct turtle-like slowness, which, again, reminds us of someone (Hint: not Abigail). And Ivan turned one in November. Ivan seems to require a bit more attention than either of his brothers. He also may be a bit of a daredevil. He already lost his first tooth diving off of the couch at 10 months.
As I look back at the year, all we’ve done, and all God has done, I just think, “Wow. I’m glad to be here. Sometimes life is really difficult, sometimes it’s enjoyable; sometimes I feel great about things, sometimes I feel stuck in despair. But God is so good and so faithful in the midst of this changing life and world. We might be awkward extras in the play of God’s great redemptive story, but we’re here. And we get to be a part of it. Let us receive whatever You’ve given us with astounded gratefulness, and faithfully play the part You’ve called us to.”
Lastly, last week we found out that we have a healthy baby...
...coming in May!!
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