Another year is drawing to a close and as usual I wonder where the time goes and what has actually been achieved.
It feels like it's been another busy year but once you put pen to paper it never looks like much. I am really looking forward to chilling and having no deadlines or plans for the next couple of weeks. I still have a mountain of baking, cleaning and wrapping to do but I do feel like I'm getting on top of everything at last.
David had big changes with his job this year. He moved to Introhive a much smaller tech company. He found it strange at first not having the same pressures he'd had before but now it's getting busier he's settling in much more. The rest of Davids year has been working on the farm, fencing, building, chasing animals etc. Also working on getting both our houses sorted, both have made progress but never as much as we would have liked! The farmhouse still isn't livable in but we do have water, electricity, windows, doors and walls framed out so you need a little less imagination to see it as a potential home.
I have had a fun year at work. I get to travel quite a bit, sometimes just for the day which involves lots of driving other times I fly like when I get to visit Montreal or Toronto. I deliver 5 conferences a year and many more talks and events as well as doing all the admin for our summer camps and filling their freezers with homemade treats.
I am often asked how I'm doing and to be quite honest I feel great. I am on daily medication which I will have to take for about 8 more years and I still have a port in my arm so I have to go once a month for it to be flushed out. I see my surgeon and oncologist once a year each and have a mammogram once a year too. I am being well looked after. In fact the most frustrating thing to happen in 2017 health wise was when I slipped backwards on ice and chipped my elbow. That hurt and took weeks to heal.
I really miss working with special needs kids so when I was asked by a family at church if I'd consider giving their son respite care I was very happy to take it on. He comes to stay one night a month and loves to be around the busy farm and especially loves our crazy dogs. He certainly adds another dimension to our unique family life!
Isaac works pretty crazy hours as a HVAC technician. He is just winding down for the year now and is going to do his 2 month studying in St Andrews after Christmas to get his block 3. He got to visit New York with his work this year. He was the best man for his friend Sam and he decided to buy himself a puppy which he called Badger. Badger has his crazy moments but on the whole is quite a cute, friendly dog. His best friend is Max and they spend hours play fighting, Shadow is just far too mature for them!
Josh has done 2 coop work placements this year, both with Bluespurs, a local tech company. He had one semester in University, he is returning to University in the New Year. He also got to travel with his work to the US. He has started playing in Warhammer tournaments this year as well as participating in all the other games he plays. He is very busy with his volunteer firefighting, he is on the exec committee and attends quite a number of calls.
Harriet is now in her last year at high school, grade 12. She has offers from UPEI and UNB to do science or pre vet science next year. She is waiting to decide which one to accept once she starts her coop work placement with a local vet practice for her final semester at school. She works all summer at Green Hill Lake camp which she really enjoys. During the winter she works at our local gas station in Harvey. Her and Shadow still do dog agility but not as much as Shadow would like!
We are part of Christ Central Church in Fredericton and between us all we do sound, kids church, youth work and lifegroups we are kept pretty busy and are very blessed to be part of such a vibrant community.
David's brother, Stephen got married to Jan in Norway in May. David, Harriet and myself had a weeks vacation in the UK before flying out to the wedding. Isaac and Josh flew in just in time for the wedding itself. It was a really good but tiring time.
David and I along with Rich and Jen and my brother David spent over a year planning a surprise visit to my dad on his 70th birthday in November this year. We also managed to surprise many other people on our visit as the only people who knew we were coming was David and Kathryn. All the flights were on time and everything ran like clockwork. We arrived during the evening before his birthday, he was out so we surprised Mum and surprised him when he came home a short time later. We spent a great weekend together and celebrated David's birthday too while we were there.
It’s now Christmas Eve and I still haven’t published this blog. We had an ice storm yesterday so had to spend a long time chipping ice off the vehicles this morning. We are expecting a big storm on Christmas Day, with up to 30cm of snow coming, so it’s safe to say we will be having a white Christmas. My mum and dad are expected to arrive on Boxing Day and they will be with us into the new year.
All the best for 2018. Remember we love to have visitors!
