The Year in Review

It is that time of year again, to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the Lord draw near you in an extra special way this season. It is almost time for the Lord to come, to take us Home with Him.

 

This year has been almost as rough as the year 2004 was!

 

In January and February, he had cataract surgery done on both eyes. So I was his official chauffeur for a few weeks! That, along with transporting my mom when she needed to go somewhere. Oh, and did I mention, Steven still has Speech, and Physical Therapy? He was discharged from OT sometime last spring/early summer, though!

 

About mid-February, we finally found a house that looked like it would actually fit our budget! The kids, my mom and I were getting excited at the prospect!! And I was beginning the process of applying for financing, etc.—Dan never would even go look at it. Instead, on February 22, he moved out.

 

Sometime the first week of March, he called from California! He never stopped by to say good bye to the kids!! He just packed up, quit his job and moved clear across the country!! Imagine the hurt and confusion the kids have been going through this year!!

 

In March, Mom, Dad and Jennifer again spent time with my brother, Norbert and his family—during Rebecca’s spring break. And the boys and I again went to the Civil War Reenactment.

 

Some time in February or March, my dad’s brother, Harold, passed away. Then in April or May, his other brother, John, ended up in the hospital, as did Uncle John’s two children, Arnold and Marietta. Marietta had gone in for intestinal surgery, and developed an infection—and contracted the Super Bug. She was gravely ill; the doctors honestly gave her a 0% chance to live!!

 

My dad was named the Medical Surrogate for both Marietta and Uncle John, which meant he had the authority to make the medical decisions for both of them. So he spent all summer, from June through…well, even now…traveling to Avon Park, Florida, to care for their affairs. My cousin also has a farm up north of Nashville, which my dad has been spending time to prepare for sale. So he has been running ragged for months now!!

 

The children and I went to Laurelbrook, for alumni weekend, the first weekend of April. Mom and Dad went to Wisconsin Academy Alumni the last weekend of April. My niece, Cory, graduated the beginning of June. My folks took Timothy with them to attend that.

 

April 21 was a high day for me, and for Timothy and Jennifer! They took the step of committing their lives to Jesus, by being baptized! Oh, how happy that made me! I just cried!

 

Mom and Dad were supposed to spend a week in Williamsburg in April. They were supposed to go to Wisconsin Campmeeting in June. There were a few Maranatha projects they had wanted to attend. But they had to cancel all these things.

 

The children and I weren’t able to go many places, either; Child Support didn’t start up until October. Imagine going 7-8 months with no income!! Eek!!!!—Believe me, I sent out my resume and applications to numerous places, but God did not open any doors. I just kept praying. All I heard God saying to me was: Be still, and know that I am God. And you are right where I want you for now, homeschooling your children.

 

So, when the new school year began, we started in on our schoolwork, just like we usually do. This year, Daniel and I are “Rowing” our way through volume 4 of Five in a Row. He is in second grade this year!

 

Timothy is in tenth grade and Jennifer in eighth grade. We are working on various unit studies this year. I still need some items for the kids’ math curricula…but for the most part, God has provided in a mighty way.

 

Steven still has speech therapy twice a week and physical therapy once a week. His speech is improving little by little. When he had his annual audiologist appointment, they recommended he be evaluated for a hearing aide. So, we will see soon if a hearing aide would be beneficial to him!! This year we are doing preschool and kindergarten activities.

 

Labor Day was a very sad day for all of us. Mom’s cat, Vickie, was found to have kidney failure. So, as sad as it was, she was put to sleep on Labor Day.

 

Mom and Dad went to Andrews University the end of September, for Mom’s 50^th class reunion from college. They had a wonderful time, and were able to relax. Before they went to Michigan, they said their good byes to Uncle John. That Sabbath, while they were gone, we received the call from Hospice that he had passed away.

 

On October 25, I was served with divorce papers. I had 21 days to turn in my response. And the kids and I had 45 days to take a class, Kids in Divorce Situations (which we ended up having to take on Sabbath, December 1).

 

In November, Mom and Dad went to Door County, Wisconsin, to spend a week relaxing—which they so desperately needed! They also visited with some of my cousins, and saw my aunt Esther, my dad’s remaining sibling.

 

They had just gotten back home, when one of my cousins called to say that Aunt Esther had suffered another stroke, and her systems were shutting down. That following Sabbath, we received word that she had passed away. My dad lost three siblings this year; each one passed away on Sabbath; and I was the one who received the message first each time!

 

The children and I had another little break. We went to the Empowered Living Ministries Family Campmeeting, at Camp Kulaqua, on December 6-9. It was a wonderful, spiritual blessing! It was also painful, emotionally. They promote a strong family, the husband and father being the spiritual leader of the family, and making his wife and children top priority. It hurt, since we are a broken family.

 

God is still near. Now He is the Husband and Father of our family. I pray that my boys will grow up to be the men of power that the Hohnbergers talk about.

 

I also pray that the Lord will soon see fit to bless us with a house. I have several work-at-home ideas, if only I could get us into a home! But I also pray that God will give me a spirit of contentment. I desire to say like Paul: Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11, KJV.

 

Pray with us that the Lord’s work will soon be done, and that He will come soon to take His children home. I don’t know about you, but I am certainly weary of this old world: the heartache; physical pain; the crazy weather; the wickedness. Come soon, Lord Jesus!!

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