I Shook Hands With 2016 and Offered Friendship.....

Apparently it doesn't know how to play nicely yet.

We'll work on that.

Many people enjoyed 2015.
I'm happy for them....very much so.

However, 2015 was a bit of a stinker to us.

With basement flooding which we have still not recovered.

Chadd's accident from which he continues to recover.

Warren's illness which is mostly better....but not completely gone.

It just seemed that it was a harder year than usual.

But I was optimistic.

We were going to begin afresh and anew in 2016.

Well, 

Bandit got sick.

My pup...the one who loves me most.

She got a nasty ear infection and was in so much pain...

 so I spent the first waking hours 

of January 1, 2016 in the Emergency Vet Hospital.

Waiting for the doctor.

Strike One.

Jonathan and Warren have colds.

Strike Two.

I'm getting one.

Strike three.

That's the end of the first inning.

Now....we will begin a new inning.....

I'm not ready to give up the offer of friendship to this new year yet.

I have to say that New Year's Eve was my favorite in many years.

Chelsea and Chadd had offered for available co-workers to come over for the evening.

The plan was to watch a movie and play games until it was time to watch the ball drop.

In reality we ate Poppyseed Chicken, Macaroni and Cheese, Salad and Brownies. 

Then the guitars came out.

What followed was a wonderful time of Worship in song.

Then some sharing followed by a time of prayer.

Then back to song.

Simply Delightful!

Finally we watched the movie, Inside Out.

When it was done it was time to ring in 2016.

There is much unknown about the upcoming year.

There are many hopes.

Chelsea and Chadd have a wedding date in May.

We are so looking forward to it and with so much time to plan

we alternate between feeling ready enough for it to happen tomorrow

and the nerves of how will we get it all done.

I know, that really doesn't make sense but we keep having wonderful ideas.

It will all come out in the end ....just as it should.

We also have hopes to get our basement reclaimed from the water damages

that ravaged it nearly a year ago now.

Money, illness and time are all factors in that timeline.

The theater where the family works is on it's final day of the Christmas Show

and then will go into a crazy two month schedule of getting Samson ready for the stage.

This means that Warren, Michael, Jonathan and Chadd will have altered schedules

while Chelsea will be laid off for two months.

She is not happy about that but I think it will go quickly and as I'm in my 

slower season of candle stuff it will be a wonderful opportunity for 

us to work and play together on wedding details.

Speaking of wedding details....

We were blessed to attend our friend Emma's wedding on December 29.

There was much to LOVE about this ceremony and the historic site

where it was held.

The building was built in the 1800's.

It looked as if it had been a church initially but has been a dinner theatre 

and is currently a venue for special events.

A few shots from that evening....

Chelsea and Emily.

The sister Chelsea has always wanted!

She really owes Mikey for getting her a great one.

Emma and Vinnie's wedding cake.

I loved the Centerpieces.

Chelsea and the Bride.

They have been friends since they were just youngsters.

Emma and Vinnie cut the cake.

They were very polite as they fed each other the first piece.

At the end of the evening there was a sparkler sendoff of the Bride and Groom.

That was a first for me and it was definitely fun.

I look forward to seeing the photos from the wedding photographers of that.

It is now time to get back into some kind of a groove.

I've taken time over the past week to read two books.

and 

I received Forgiven for Christmas.  It's author is a dear friend of our family.

She was Mom and Chelsea's manager at work for some years

and then more recently accompanied Mom and Georgia to Peru to share this story

with the women there.

After reading Terri's book I really wanted to read Marie's book as well.

I've not met Marie but I have to tell you that the story she shares confirms

and emphasizes the amazing Grace of our Lord through the unbelievable 

events surrounding the Amish School Shooting.

You come away from both of these books wiping your eyes knowing that we cannot even 

begin to understand the why's but we surely can see that God can redeem anything 

for His purposes.

Please pray for Terri as she is fighting returned cancer in her body.

The doctors are not optimistic about her remaining time on this earth but

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she stays longer than they expect.

She's predicting at least double their 8 month outlook.

I'm with her....and then some more, please.

In the midst of this battle Terri continues to write on her website/blog

called 

Joy Through Adversity.

You will not meet a more warm, caring and beautiful person

than Terri.  She radiates the love of Christ as only someone who has had

close encounters with Him can.

And so with all of these many things running through my head...you know, a wedding past, a wedding future, friends with bigger challenges that you can begin to imagine and the blessing of a loving and supportive family we go into 2016 with optimism. 

We know that all things will not be perfect.

Some things might be super hard.

But God will be in the midst.

He will rejoice when we rejoice and He will hold us when we need to be held.

2016..the offer still stands.

Let's be friends.