A different kind of year in many ways, but one in which we’ve all grown, and have so many things to be very grateful for!

Colin still works for Munsys Inc., who soldier on against the odds in a dreadful economy.  So grateful that he has a job and continued ability to work from home. We are extremely aware of the fact that there are so many others around us who are not so fortunate at present.

Janet is working freelance doing websites and other software-related things for small to medium organizations.  Grateful for every client that comes our way, as it’s all by referral.

Grateful that, late in the year we were able to re-sell our web franchise that wasn’t a good fit for us, and can now work without the restrictions that imposed – grateful that they granted us an exception to their non-compete clause, and allowed us to keep our clients.

Grateful for the pleasant life in Rocklin, with an amazingly active church, a fantastic group of friends, and three thriving kids!

Jared is halfway through his second year at college.  Grateful that he has done exceptionally well in his studies, and adjusted so thoroughly to moving out of dorms into apartment living and juggling the demands of school, a job, and involvement in church and the main campus Christian group.  He is especially excited about the study abroad in New Zealand that he has planned for the second semester…

Bryn successfully completed his first year of college and went on to spend the whole summer as a leader on a houseboat ministry.  Thereafter he spent the next few months travelling Northern California promoting Invisible Children – the organization that is doing such fantastic work among the people of Uganda.  He earned school credit for the work he did on this tour, and now plans to return as a team leader for a second tour, before going back to his studies next fall.  Grateful for the rich experience this has afforded him, and the way he has been able to pursue a cause so dear to his heart.

Erin graduated from Junior High and transitioned into high school very smoothly, and leads a full and very balanced life, between schoolwork, gymnastics and tennis, youth group involvement and friendships.  Grateful for the beautiful spirit she has, and the wonderful company that she is.  She looks forward eagerly to the adventures of the coming year, anticipating her first Mexico missions trip, and counting the months until she is eligible to get her learner’s permit for driving!

We enjoyed several very pleasant camping trips to a variety of locations and with diverse groups of people – so grateful to have such stunning countryside within easy reach!  Also took our first family vacation without the boys, since no time could be found in which our calendars coincided.  But the three of us, Colin, Janet and Erin, visited San Diego and rectified the alarming fact that Erin could not remember having visited a zoo!  As if on cue, many of the exotic creatures at the world-famous San Diego Zoo put on unusually active displays of behavior that were perfectly timed for our enjoyment.  Erin will not be forgetting that zoo visit!

And to cap it all off – Colin and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary on December 14th, and were able to take a couple of days away and treat ourselves to a fantastic Cirque du Soleil performance. Intensely grateful for the fact that our relationship has withstood the test of time, and we love each other so dearly.

Extremely grateful, too, that Janet’s sister, Ilene, decided to spend a week of her vacation time visiting with us – it is always such a treat to have family or friends visit from overseas.

More recently life has been complicated by an unwelcome bout of thyroid cancer for Janet.  But we are SO grateful for the fact that the prognosis is VERY good, we’ve been surrounded by so much love and support from SO many people, and our God has sustained us throughout.

Grateful, grateful, grateful that God is Good – All the Time!

As usual time has passed by and now during the final days of the setting of the year it’s time to reflect back.  It’s been a sustaining year – not the best and not the worst.

Looking back on the fun, we were fortunate to do quite a few of our favorite things. We visited various lakes where we camped, went boating and even slid down a natural waterslide. It was enjoyable to go camping with some new families. We went to the ocean with Bryn in San Luis Obispo and had a good time in San Diego on a week’s vacation. I went fishing fewer times than usual and only caught a few fish - variety, not size, was the order of the day.

Work and business has been hard hit by the struggling economy but we are still here and still in business, which these days is good news. I'm still enjoying what I do and it is great to have flexibiility and variety with a small amount of travel.

On the home front we re-landscaped the front yard and continue to enjoy the backyard and pool. When we did the front yard Jared did the heavy lifting and I was more like my Dad would have been - directing operations. With the boys gone most of the year the household dynamics have evolved – I’m outnumbered by women! Fortunately Janet and Erin are my most- favorite women, so when I get mothered by 2 ladies it is cute as opposed to irritating! Apparently I forget the details yet somehow I’m always called on to remember who, what, where and when. The way Erin has changed from a girl to a young women has been such a blessing.

Janet’s thyroid treatment has made this a different kind of Christmas for us. She is in isolation for 24, 25 and 26 of December – so we have set her up with a "luxury suite" – complete with tv, phone, computers, internet connection, web cam, Netflix instant-view and books. A decorative teddy is in my place on the bed! With her strong faith Janet has coped well with the news of her condition and treatment – we are so proud of her. As a result of the treatment I’ve been Mr. Mom a few times, but the support from Erin and the folk in our church groups has been amazing. We remain blessed by the friends we have made in Rocklin.

I wish all our friends and family a wonderful 2011.

How does one capture the essence of such a diverse year?  Could you come for a cup of tea (or two) and reflect with me?

I had the opportunity in the spring to go to Mexico for 10 days with a phenomenal group of teenagers and adults, on our church’s annual high school mission trip.  The boys went on this every year they were in high school – but this time I got to go as part of the kitchen team.  We worked hard, cooking for about 550 people, but we also got to see something of the great work that gets done there every year, and experience much of the joy that comes from ministering to such need. The trip is rough on the body, but refreshing for the soul and spirit.

I’ve grappled with ongoing adjustments in the area of my work.  The transition from stay-home mom to part-almost-full-time worker has been, and continues to be, a difficult one for me.  So much technology change, on an ongoing basis, and it’s taking time to identify exactly where to focus and where my strengths lie.  But I’m learning all the time, and part of that also involves developing confidence and finding out what works on every level.  The challenges of the current economy do not really make things any easier.  Baby steps, in my case…

One of the most precious activities in my life continues to be facilitating the ladies Bible Study group that I host in our home weekly.  It’s such a wonderful group of women, and they bless me so much more than I can say!  What a privilege to be able to share our lives the way we do. We’re pretty good at throwing plenty of fun into the mix too – yay for girl-time!

As to thyroid cancer – what to say?  So many thoughts and feelings as I’ve faced my mortality in a way I’ve never been asked to do before. At the same time have had to navigate my way through the healthcare involved (two surgeries and a radioactive iodine treatment), which has been complicated by the fact that an error on their part resulted in me receiving the diagnosis two months later than it should’ve been, thus potentially significantly impacting costs due to the insurance plan we have.  But in it all I’ve been spiritually strengthened, challenged, and, I believe, matured, and it’s been, and continues to be, an incredible journey.

Managing to see the funny side of it all on a regular basis, which is great! Had hoped that while they were slitting my throat they might be able to reach in and pull the strings that would give me a boob lift - no such luck! However, I was informed, upon receiving my radioactive iodine, that it would "make me hot" - so apparently the boob lift wasn't needed to achieve that end result! As I write, I am glowing from head to toe, having ingested the pill only yesterday! Hot, baby!

As to the future…am terribly excited to be accompanying Jared for the start of his adventures overseas.  We leave here on January 22nd and will visit my cousin and some old friends in Australia, before heading over to New Zealand for a bit of sight-seeing before I leave Jared to further his studies there.  Financially irresponsible, but priceless nonetheless!

Looking back, this past year has been more of a transition or preparatory period in my life than one of new beginnings and experiences. The majority of this time involved continuing my college education and completing the prerequisite classes to apply for the Nursing program. To accomplish this goal I enrolled in a full course of study over the summer as well as the regular school semesters. Furthermore, I got my first job at a movie theater in early January, so when I was not attending class or studying, I was working. While this left little time in my day to have much of a social life, I quickly found a limited sleeping schedule could compensate for that.

At the beginning of summer, I moved into my first apartment and had to learn to fend for myself. Who knew grocery shopping and cooking could be so time consuming?! I didn’t. But after a little while I came to realize two things… I actually enjoy cooking, and "swiffering"… phenomenal!

While at school, I decided to further my involvement in Intervarsity, a Christian club on campus, and became an “apprentice” or assistant leader in a Bible Study, in preparation for a leadership role next school year. At the same time as this was happening, the church I attend moved into their very own building in the heart of downtown Reno, allowing for more secure facilities and the exciting opportunity for further growth and ministry in the Reno area.

In the couple months where I wasn’t attending school, I was able to see some relatives such as my aunt Ilene from England who we visited Yosemite with, as well as relandscape our front yard. While this involved a lot of digging and the need for a new ipod, our yard now looks better than ever!

So while this year may not have had any really big changes or events in it, the year has still been filled with many exciting smaller events that will help make the coming up years ones to remember. Having now finished all but one of my prerequisites for the Nursing program, I will be applying in January to start in the program. Furthermore, all the money I have saved from my job will help in this coming semester as I will be studying abroad in New Zealand! However, before I get there my mom and I will be spending a little quality time together in Australia – a place I have always wanted to visit. So goodbye 2010 and hello adventure!

This year hasn't been at all what I planned, and in the best way. I finished up my first year of school in San Luis Obispo, along with the first six months of a personal daily design project (www.brynhobson.weebly.com). I thrived in the graphic design studies and have enjoyed them immensely along with the ocean, hills, and community I've experienced in SLO. I am so looking forward to returning to everything that began there.

In May, I finished my final projects early and began rigorous full-time volunteer work that has stretched into the coming year. I drove a houseboat and ski-boat on Lake Shasta for 10 weeks, each week for a different group of junior high/high school students from churches all over the west coast. Serving and mentoring 15-18 students every week was such a challenge—I learned about my own strengths and weaknesses, about leading, and relying on and pursuing a God who's a lot bigger than I usually think him to be. Each week, I saw students realize their worth, and discover a fullness of life they'd never experienced.

After growing very close with the team I worked with at Shasta, I left a week early to head straight down to San Diego to work for Invisible Children. We are an organization that is using media and culture to challenge apathy and inspire movement in our generation—to bring Africa's longest running war to an end and rebuild communities in Uganda and the Congo that have been devastated by it. After a month of booking and coordinating our tour, I went on the road with three other Americans and two Ugandans to share this story with school, university, and church audiences all over Northern California. During our 10 week tour, we visited 92 venues in CA, NV, and OR, and stayed with generous strangers along the way. We contributed to the most successful tour in the history of the organization, and mentored high school students in fundraising over $1,000,000 in 100 days for partner schools in Uganda. I saw people everywhere awakened to the idea that they can make change, and that their voice has value. Through thick and thin, being a part of this community has been an incredible experience. I can say with full-heart that I have family in Uganda and a responsibility to continue to speak for those who cannot, wherever that may be.

This Winter and Spring, I will be leading a team that will tour Florida. I'm excited to continue to realize that I have more potential than I originally thought, and see my teammates realize the magnitude of what we are doing at every stop. I feel so blessed to have been able to serve and grow with Invisible Children and Sonshine Ministries, and the wild adventure it has been. This year has been the most challenging and fruitful of my life so far, and I'm overwhelmingly thankful for it. I can't wait to continue and to return to my formal education next Fall with a new perspective.

Wow. It’s already been a year since last Christmas. So much has happened! Between transitioning schools, learning a new sport, and making new friends, this has been a packed year.

Back in January, I was involved in gymnastics competitions and school, waiting for summer to arrive. Eventually it came, and with it, Bryn and Jared. It’s always great to see them, no matter how long they’re home for. My friend persuaded me to join her in helping out with a class of 5th graders in summer school for eight weeks, and in the midst of that craziness, I also volunteered with my mom as a small group leader in our church's HUGE vacation bible School. At the same time I began tennis lessons. Tennis was fun, especially since I had lots of areas for improvement. I was also able to go on the church’s high school group summer camp for a week, where I hung out with friends, spent time with God, and challenged my fear of heights. Nearing the end of summer, Mum, Dad, and I went to San Diego to drop Bryn off, and we spent a few days there, including a memorable trip to the zoo and the discovery of how much fun boogie boarding is.

In August, the scary first day of high school came. For me, this was a big event because I chose to go to the same high school my brothers attended, which also happened to be the one most of my friends were not going to. As a result, I was felling nervous about not knowing many people. However, I have since met some wonderful people, and am so glad I chose this school. I also joined the tennis team there, and while it kept me busy, it was a very fun experience.

In November my aunt Ilene came for a visit which was great since I love it whenever we get to see her and we enjoyed some girl-time at the mall!

Now, I’m enjoying a relaxing break with my family and some friends, and can’t wait for what 2011 will hold. Several vacations, including my first mission trip to Mexicali are planned, and I’m excited for more time to grow as a person and with God.

 

I have been a little confused about my boundaries this year, and felt an uncontrollable urge to mark them everywhere. For some reason the family didn’t agree with the ones I drew indoors. They have imposed much more restrictive ones.

The missus keeps telling me to go and play in the traffic, but I haven’t managed to escape and do that yet…