Merry Christmas Everyone! Time flies by a lot more quickly than we ever dare to believe, yet here it is: the end of 2014! This year has been both blessing and struggle for us as a family, and a lot seems to be changing. 2014 has been a year of transition.
The big changes began in May, when we were forced to move from our home of eight and a half years as our landlord decided not to renew our lease (so they could significantly increase rent). They gave us 30 days notice to pack and vacate. We were sent into a whirlwind frenzy of packing, cleaning and putting everything in storage while also trying to help the younger boys complete the end of their school year. We ended up living for two months in our RV. Thankfully we have many wonderful friends (who have become our local family) in the community here in Boise and 2 of them - Steve and Colean - offered to “house” us in their driveway while we searched for a new home. We are so grateful for them sharing their home, driveway and love with us in those trying circumstances!
While we were searching for a home - Jason (aka. Zach) got a job at the local YMCA and bought a ‘91 Saturn. He got lifeguard training and worked his summer there saving lives! He found it very rewarding but the atmosphere was not positive and so at the end of the summer he left his employment there, but with lifeguard certifications and CPR to carry forward.
We found a new home at the end of July. While the wait to find it was challenging – we found the “right” place. It is only 3 miles further commute for John and kept the boys in the same schools! The new place is 50% larger and that is apparently just about the right size to keep 5 (mostly) adults all sane! It has a fireplace, Jacuzzi tub and a large extra room that Steph uses for crafting and sewing - which she does a LOT of! It even has raised garden beds and a half-sized basketball court out back. It’s a four bedroom, two and a half baths with a three car garage that John parks in but has also created quite the “man-cave” in – all in a nice neighborhood a little west of where we were previously. Gotta love how God watches out for us! The move has turned out to be a good thing despite the stress that it brought about.
In September, Jason (18) joined the Idaho Army National Guard. He is a senior in high school still so he has to graduate before he goes to Basic Training. He is still required to go to the monthly drills at the local base. He is loving it, and it is providing the necessary motivation he needed to get through his final year of high school when motivation was lacking. He joined as a Cavalry Scout and hopefully will be able to become a sharp-shooter and be trained as a sniper. Those are his goals and we support him in this, though as parents we secretly hope he is never deployed! He has been dating the same girl (Alli) for 3 and a half years now – and she is a very sweet girl that we are quite taken with! She is pursuing the Army National Guard as well.
Alex (17) is a junior this year and is studying at the technical training school to further his dreams of going into Architectural Engineering. This is something that he has consistently dreamed of and pursued for years. He plans to attend college when he completes these two years at the tech school, and is talking about maybe Montana – as they have one of the better rated programs in the country. He still has time to determine that, and we’re not forcing it. We are all about letting the kids have time to figure out what they want to do before jumping into it. Case in point: David!
David (21) decided this summer that he would like to pursue medicine and help people. He has been researching the best routes to go about it and is looking into programs that will pay for his education so that he does not have to take out any student loans. We’re pretty proud of him for learning from our mistake with that! (Still paying off those things!) In the meantime he continues to work at the Eagle library as a librarian’s assistant (he’s been there for 4? years now).
As for John and Steph - we’re healthy, happy and maybe a little wiser (hopefully!). We celebrated 25 years of being together in June (even recreated our first date of a movie and putt-putt) and 23 years of marriage in November! We look forward to many more years together and are planning to backpack through Europe for a few weeks in 2016 for our 25th wedding anniversary! We continue to work on personal growth and keeping the family close. We realize location isn’t what makes for an intimate family, but it’s about the heart. We continue to foster that even through the difficult navigation of adolescence and beyond. We definitely miss all of our family in Ohio and in Florida – as well as friends we have made all over the country - but we have made a home here in Idaho. We are surrounded by magnificent people with big hearts and open arms. This family/community help make it less painful to be absent from those with whom we share so many beautiful memories and deep love.
Know that any of you are welcome to come visit us at any time! We have plenty of room and love sharing our hospitality with others! Plus, Idaho is a hidden gem of natural beauty and friendly people. What do you have to lose?
May God bless you all with a wonderful New Year. Here’s hoping/believing that 2015 is a lot less stressful!
Much love!
