Our Year in Review

Today is the last day of 2015, not a very good year for my blog with only four posts! (It is one of my 2016 goals to resume blogging.)  So I thought I would share some photos to  recap the year I didn’t get blogged!  Enjoy!

JANUARY
Kenny and Becky had been home for Christmas 2014, but that was close enough to the start of 2015 to include them.  We had a nice visit with them and it ended with a family dinner with my parents and Jo. Wally smoked ribs!

While JoEllen was home we threw her a party for her Big 60th Birthday!

The Birthday Girl!

Mom, Jo and Dad

Most of or family came to the party and long time friends of our family-and very special to Jo-Mrs. Loyd and her daughter Kathy!  We had so much fun, complete with games...Pin the Tail on the donkey, Clothes-Pin Drop, and Musical Chairs!

 

FEBRUARY

In February my Dad had a Birthday, his 89th!  We gathered at the Original Pancake House for his Birthday Breakfast.  

Aaron was the only one of the Grand kids who came.

I had to sneak in a card making project or two--this is the card I made for my Dad.

Wally and I took a day and drove to Breckenridge for the Ice Sculpture competition.  It was the last week of the event and it had been warm, but the sculptures were still in good shape.

I went off on a "Girl's Weeekend!"  My good friend Margie had moved to San Fancisco and we had talked about a visit many times.  President's Day weekend seemed like a good time.  Wally took Wesley pig hunting...it was a bust.  And I got on a plane with my other good friend...and Margie's sister...Esther.  We had a wonderful time!  Margie had planned and organized our weekend.  We had incredible sunny weather and a wonderful time!

We walked across the Golden Gate Bridge

The three of us at the bottom of Lombard Street

Esther and Margie on the San Andreas Fault

FEBRUARY and MARCH

Ben and Andrea came through our neck of the woods on deputation.  They were at our church for our Missions Conference and others in the area.  They were in and out in February and March.

APRIL 

A big project at Polo Club North began, road repairs.  What I mostly remember about this project is that it was very cut up and difficult to keep a through way open around the community.  we think it went rather smoothly, but it always amazed me how certain people just cannot handle any inconvenience, like driving the opposite way around the circle to avoid the closed parts of the road.  One lady actually told us she thought she would have to move because of the mess!  

That's the first four months.  

The End

This quote was on my July calendar...I did not actually turn to July from June until about ten days into the month! But how perfectly timed was the encouragement that was there for Wally and I. 

"Painful as it may seem, the place of our suffering is the place where we find the freedom to live the life God designed for us."—Dannah Gresh. 

So how does one begin to write about “getting fired?!”  It’s not something you are usually proud of and it certainly is unexpected.  Wally and I have many mixed emotions.  Did we do something wrong?  Maybe.  Something deserving of being “let go?”  We certainly did not think so.  Just what did we do?  I’m not even sure if I know or understand.  But here is what I do know…While this whole experience was a complete surprise to us, it certainly was not to God.  And we trust that what God allows in our life is for our good, and definitely is part of God’s purposes and for His glory.

Wally and I were operating out of a state of disbelief, but determined to trust the Lord.  I had been praying for the Lord to draw us closer together and closer to His Word. In July I participated in a Bible study in the book of Proverbs.  I could not believe how many times I would say to Wally, “Let me read you this verse, doesn’t it sound like what we are going through?”  It was good to be grounded and surrounded by His Word and prayer!  It was also the perfect foundation that was being laid for what we were about to walk through.  I truly had perfect peace, the kind that “surpasses al understanding!”

Here’s what God did for us:

• On Tuesday after we returned from our little vacation, we were signing a lease on a house to rent.  If you know anything about the housing market in Denver, you understand what a miracle that alone is!
• Wally was offered his old job back as a roofing estimator.  In fact they wanted him to start right away. 
• Most of the residents were just as shocked as we were that we were being let go. They were so kind to us!  They began dropping by our apartment with cards and gifts and even tears! 
• One woman especially blessed us.  She had been a tough cookie from the start.  She would roll by the clubhouse and toot her car horn, waiting for Wally to respond.  She always wanted some work done but never wanted to fill out the form required.  Over time, she warmed up to us.  She told us she couldn’t write very well anymore and that is why she never wanted to fill out the forms. We weren’t sure, but we think she was about 90…still driving, still playing Bridge each week, she was a character!  As we were packing to leave, she knocked on our door.  She climbed up the steps, around all the packing mess and plopped on our couch .  She visited with us for several minutes and then gave us a hand written card, thanking us for all we had done!
• We were able to leave knowing we had done a very good job, that there were many things we could not overcome, but we did a good job!

The frosting on the cake for me came from when I read Proverbs 28:11. “The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding searches him out.”   I pictured Wally and I as “the poor” in the verse.  Poor when our lives are compared with those of our residents…with the their standard of wealth, success, status and privilege.  But we were rich in God’s understanding, the gospel.  And we had tried to live and give the gospel in the four and half years we lived and worked among these very rich and privileged “poor” people.  I felt God gave this verse to me to bring the perfect close to this chapter in our life. 

We made a lot of trips like this! 

We had the best moving crew!  They worked hard and kept us laughing most of the day!

One of the first pieces of mail at our new address was this encouraging card from Andrea and a Starbucks card with the Brooklyn Bridge on it!

Wild…Wild Ride…Wild Flowers…Not in Our Wildest Dreams!

Wild…that I am actually putting together a blog post!  It has been a long, long time!  But here I go!

Wild Ride…July 14 Wally and I took off after work to ride to Chama, NM.  One of our residents who had been quite special  to us had passed away earlier in the spring.  Her family was having a memorial service for her and then spreading her ashes over the family ranch in Chama.  We decided to combine attending her service with a few days of vacation.  Of course we planned to get out of town earlier than we did, so we did have some traffic.  Just south of Denver we ran into the rain…lots of it.  That slowed us even more and by the time we rode over  the Cumbres pass, it was dark.  Wally told me to keep my eyes open for deer and elk.  We spotted many deer on the side or having just cleared the road as we passed by.  Then we rounded one bend and there on the road was an entire herd of elk!!  We (Wally) veered quite wide and long to avoid a collision and I breathed out many “Thank you Lord” prayers!   We wish  we could have enjoyed the scenery by daylight!  On my list of places to revisit is Chama and to ride the narrow gauge train on the Cumbres-Toltec scenic railway!  We stayed at a sweet B&B, the Gandy Dancer.  It was within walking distance of the little church where Mrs. Binkley’s service was held. 

The little garden at Gandy Dancer had the tallest Columbines!

Wildflowers…After the service we headed on our way to Gunnison, CO.  We had another rainy day to ride in.  Our destination was the Wildflower Festival in Crested Butte, the Wildflower Capital of Colorado!  What a year for the wildflowers, it was amazing!  Since we were on the bike we splurged and rented a jeep  for a day to drive the dirt roads.  We picked up a little book of wildflowers and I think we saw every variety in the book!  I know there are a lot of photos following but I had a hard trying to choose which to use!  And who doesn’t like to look at Colorado?

People aren’t the only ones who enjoy a field of wildflowers!

These were all white Columbines.  I have never seen that before.  I wondered if the blue columbines had faded,  but I have not heard of that either!  Still, there they were!

We packed a little picnic and took a short hike to Judd Falls.  It was very lovely and we had quite a group of chipmunks who came out to keep us company!

  

That’s me…another “dear,” out in a field of wildflowers!!

Not in Our wildest Dreams…Friday morning we slept late and walked uptown Gunnison for breakfast.  We then wandered the town doing a little window shopping in some of the shops.  We saw a cute little fountain of two crows dipping and squirting.  The shop was actually backordered on the fountain…and it was kind of pricey!  So when we went back to the hotel room we looked for one on line…and found it…and it was quite a bit cheaper!!  I had just completed the order and we started to get ready for a ride around the north rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  Wally’s phone rang and while I was getting changed I could tell the conversation was sounding serious.  Wally let me know he was talking to the owner of our company.  After a few more minutes of conversation I  mouthed the words to him…”Are we getting fired?”  I don’t know what made me ask that, but he nodded yes!  

In our wildest dreams we were not expecting that!  This was Friday and we were told not to return to work on Monday.  When your housing is attached to your job,we had a double whammie!  That phone call kind of ended our vacation and killed any desire to go for our ride.  We spent the next several hours in our hotel, on line, looking at places to rent…we had a quick move ahead of us!  (To be continued!)

Fun Stuff

Soccer Fun!

Wesley is a soccer-a-holic!  He plays year round, indoor and out,  he refs, and he coaches!  It’s fun to go to his indoor games, except that they are often so late at night.  I have asked myself, what kind of people are willing to play soccer at all hours of the night.  But I know, it’s Wesley!  It was not a surprise then that while Kenny and Becky were home, Wes invited Kenny to play at one of his games.  I think this one began at 9:30 so it was doable!  Turns out that sometimes even people that play at night don’t show up to play at night.  The opposing team was short quite a few players.  So Kenny and Wesley ended up playing against each other. 

This is Kenny, Tim Pine, and Wes.  Poor Kenny, not only a little out of shape, he was not used to the high altitude he left behind.  He was winded!  Oh and did I mention that this is a co-ed team?  Tim gets to play with his wife, Carrie!

Fun game, fun times. Nate and Patrick Pine showed up at the end of the game.  It was great to see all these young men together again.  They have known each other since Wesley and Tim were in the toddler nursery together!!  My heart thoroughly enjoyed watching them catch up!

Wesley, Kenny, Nate, Tim and Patrick

Tea Time Fun!

Wesley and Kenny had planned a day of skiing together.  It was a perfect opportunity for Becky to join us  girls for our Christmas Tea.  We went to the Briarwood Inn in Golden.  It was a fun afternoon and an opportunity to enjoy time with Becky.

A second Daughter!

Sherry, Becky, Mom. Robin and Jo

Robin and Jo, I love these two a lot!

Church Fun!

We now attend a different church than where the kids had grown up at.  Our current Pastor was out of town over Christmas and his fill in was Jeff Musgrave, the Pastor from our past church!  What fun for Kenny!  Pastor and Anna also got to meet Becky for the first time.  Again, I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with people who have blessed our lives!

Becky, Kenny, Jeff and Anna Musgrave

Family Dinner Fun!

Before Kenny and Becky returned to FL. Wally had to smoke some ribs for them! We had Mom and Dad and Jo join us for dinner and a last visit!

(Sadie managed to snag a bone and enjoy the ribs too!)

Yep, we had fun times!!