Well, if we’re being honest, the GIF above is how this year has felt. Twenty twenty-one has been a most difficult year. It is a challenge to find the words to succinctly encompass all that this year has been.
We lost my dad April 20th after 20 months with glioblastoma. We miss him every day. The holidays present a new season of grieving. I am not dreading Christmas, but I am keenly aware of my grief. I am thankful for the memories I have and for his influence on my life.
You are welcome to read my journal updates about my melanoma. Currently, I am patiently waiting for my incision to heal. Swelling caused it to open up and heal very slowly, but it seems that we have found some medical solutions to help. I am continuing to see a lymphedema therapist at MD Anderson twice a week to help with the swelling. I have immunotherapy once a month. The side effects from this are just one day of fatigue.
Friends and family drive me to appointments, while other friends or family watch the girls, so Josh can work. We are also blessed with meals several times per week. God has provided for so many of our needs throughout this season. We are blessed by the friendships that have taken root and grown.
Josh continues in his job of 9 years. We are thankful that he will continue to work from home. As crazy as homeschooling and working from home have been, we would not change any of it. It affords us valuable time together and of course, cuts out Josh’s former 1.5-hour commute. We are also thankful for the benefits God has provided through his company.
We continue to be involved in our church, although not able to serve as we have in the past during this season. The community we have through the body of Christ is essential to encouraging us during this difficult season. We thank God for His many blessings and how He continues to teach us through trials.
The girls are doing well considering the circumstances. Elena turned 8 in June. Naomi turned 4 in July and Charlotte turned 6 in November. They are enrolled in a Christian academy, which meets once a week, in conjunction with our homeschooling efforts. We enjoy the community and accountability this offers us. Elena and Charlotte began piano lessons in August.
Elena has begun to independently complete some of her homeschool work, a goal of hers this year. She enjoys reading, coding, and crafts. Her favorite subject in school is science. This year, she is studying zoology, with a focus on land animals. She got to dissect an owl pellet this week in class as they are learning about rodents – the contents of the pellets. She was bummed she didn’t get a skull in her pellet.
Charlotte has begun to read and has mastered riding a two-wheeler. She got her ears pierced for her birthday. Oh, and she will sing the continents song, fifty nifty United States song, and the animal classification (vertebrates) song if you just ask her.
Naomi knows her letters, sounds and can count to 100! She can almost sing the fifty nifty United States song. She is super quick on a scooter, too.
They all get along really well as they learn to navigate the ins and outs of relationships with each other. That’s not to say they don’t have plenty of practice at apologizing, forgiving, and reconciling with one another.
We plan to celebrate Christmas here with Josh’s family and then we will head to Pinetop after Christmas to celebrate with my mom.
We are looking forward to celebrating in January as Josh’s mom will be getting married. The girls will be flower girls with the other grandchildren.
All glory to God as we share about the lives God has given us. He is our source of comfort, strength, wisdom, and love. He is good!