a year of reflection

 2021 has been a year of so many blessing and to see God working in our lives

When my 102-year-old grandmother passed, I began helping my parents weekly, whether closing my grandmother's estate, doctor appointments, landscaping, grocery shopping, cleaning... This time with my parents has been precious. Woth the passing of Al, i realize that our time is limited on this earth. They are truly gifts to be cherished, especially as they age.

We love being hosts to gatherings whether at the lake or in town. We host dinners, potlucks, movie night, celebrations and now with the boat, rides around the lake.

People told me that I would miss the old yard and garden, but the raised beds and edible landscaping have been yielded in abundance, so much that we eat at least 25% from our yard in herbs, fruit and vegetables. We have canned and fermented vegetables and jams to last us well into the spring of 2022. We have had so much to share with friends and neighbors, our three from raised beds the neighbors have been told to help themselves with no worries of the dogs. I was able to donate vegetable to the local food bank, to the extent they thought i was a farm. I won a winning a garden contest, winning $100 of seeds from my favorite seed company.  After 2 years on the covid waitlist, I was accepted into the master gardener program

In March I was expanding the garden, tossing 12x2x8 boards over my fence. This motion injured my shoulder, I was thankful the gym was still basically closed, so no yoga for 2 months. In July, i was walking my pup while doing a walking meditation, tripped, and broke my hand, the day our nurse left for a 5-week trip home to see family in Tago. I was so blessed by the agency to have someone to help with my son 7 days a week for the first 2 weeks and then at least 5 days a week until the cast was removed. We were blessed to have friends taking us to the store ( i couldn't drive for 5 weeks), doctor appointments, dentist appointments... Some of the nurses we meet during this time, have become friends.

Our son saw doctors more this year than the last 5 years combined. While the kitchen was being renovated, he injured his finger that needed to be lanced, soaked, antibiotics... He, then, needed new orthidic. The ortho noticed that one of his legs is longer than the other and sent him to another specialist for measurements and x-rays. He now has a lift in his shoe and his hip no longer "pops" and is healing his bursitis. Several of the doctors have been bothered by our son's drooling, different meds, different side effects... The physical medicine rehab doctor suggested an anti-nausea patch. I had just found my acupressure wrist bands, and they are working. Who would have thought and no side-effects? He has made so much progress that even his brothers believe me now that he is totally aware of what is going on. He is willing to use his hands this year, to pull up his pants, put on his shirt, remove his clothing, use an eating utensil, open drawers, grab clothing, pots, cups, get in and out of the shower or tub, and he is working to finally be able to get himself off the floor with minimal assistance, in 2022 our goal is without any assistance.

I miss the comradery of a house church; my boyfriend wants to attend a church. The church at the lake consists of maybe 30 people. The teachings are sound, and we are some of the youngest people there by, maybe a decade.  

Having a three-car garage I have space for the boys' covid hobby, woodworking and honey collecting from their hives at the farm.  They in turn are helping me with tasks I can't physically do and honey, as much as we need until the next harvest. The boys have been blessed this year with one a new job and and the other new career opportunities.

The greatest blessing of 2021 was the kindness of people, whether strangers, neighbors or friends from a free slip during July while we were on the waitlist for the boat slip, to aides filling in shifts while Sibi was in Africa and hand broken, to people driving while I couldn't drive, to reacquainting with people from Parks's past, to my dear friend letting us stay at her beach home at a price we can afford, to living a life simplistically and abundantly. 

This year has truly been one of miracles and blessings! May you too reflect on 2021 seeing your blessings.