Another year that has roared by in no time at all!  It has been one that included travel opportunities to various new destinations for all of us, along with good health, and wonderful times together with family and friends.  We’ve grieved with some over unspeakable tragedies that they have suffered, and we’ve rejoiced with others in their good times.  We’ve had our share of economic uncertainty and change, but also good doses of laugher and happiness.  We’ve celebrated a milestone for Colin with his 50th birthday in November, and we’ve all been challenged to grow in various ways through our day to day pursuits, be they with work or school. 

In everything we have been aware of the constant presence of our Savior, and the peace that we find in Him. We remain truly grateful for all the good things that have been part of the experience that was 2011!

 

2011 has been a year of trips! Trips for others, trips for me, trips down memory lane and even ending the year with the resumption of daily trips to an office.

In the beginning (of the year) it was Janet and Jared's trip to see the world, or more accurately - to visit Australia and New Zealand (see their entries for details). This of course left me as Mr. Mom and Erin as Mini Mom for 25 days. We did well and managed trips to the snow, trips to the store and also immortalized a couple of memorable sunsets together. What a good Mom Erin will be.

In April I accompanied the Two Moms to Maui where we spent a week in a house at the invitation of our friends, Rob and Jen, from Petaluma days - what a wonderful trip it was. We took trips to the beach and boogie boarded in the sea like teenagers. We enjoyed a whale watching trip on which we saw many whales - surfacing, blowing, jumping clear out of the water, fighting and tail slapping.

We took short trips during the summer - camping in the redwoods and at various lakes. In October I went to Australia for 10 days on a business trip to Sydney as part of a new development with the company at work.

Speaking of work: Munsys is now owned by a majority holding of the Australian branch of the company. This was caused by the tragic news that the company founder and president was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gerig's disease) and was forced to stop working. As a result the company ownership has changed and we have moved the US office from Florida to California. Munsys is now in the process of transition to new ownership, products and vision for the US market. I have the same job with renewed prospects and additional travel to other parts of the USA. The latter part of the year has been crammed with travel to other states including FL, PA, MI, CO and NV as well as a number of trips down to Southern California. Now I do a daily trip to the Rocklin office about a mile from our house!

For my 50th birthday, Janet arranged a wonderful party, with more than 40 people jammed into our house. She took everyone on a trip down memory lane touching on various aspects and more information about me than is good for one - it was a wonderful party and such a privilege to have that many close and valued friends together. A few of the friends even had me dress the part and do a rap song, complete with South African slang - in an effort to get me to embrace my "African-American" heritage! Now that was trip!

 

After the messy bout with thyroid cancer at the end of 2010, I am happy to say that I bounced back quickly to good health this year, in no small part aided by the enormous treat of the trip in late January. Jared and I spend three glorious weeks in Australia and New Zealand, where we were able to catch up with special people who offered us the warmest of hospitality and greatly contributed to the special memories that result from such an experience.  Apart from the delight of visiting new lands, I was so thrilled to be able to see the campus where Jared would be studying, even being granted access to his dorm prior to the opening day.  I loved every minute of the trip, even down to our couple of nights in a backpacker’s lodge – relieved to discover that I was by no means the only “suitcase-lugging post-40-year-old” that had stayed there!  (Although perhaps one of the few that had arrived by bus at midnight, and used the door code to enter reception and claim our key under the kiwi bird toy on the front desk…) 

Suffice to say the trip was fabulous, and I can’t wait to go back again one day – would recommend both countries as great destinations for the travel-minded!

Immediately after my return, Colin, Erin and I headed to the sunny shores of Maui – blessed to have been invited to share a vacation home with good friends from Santa Rosa.  We were fortunate to have great weather and many happy hours spent in the sea.

As things have turned out, I’m doubly grateful to have had these recent travel opportunities, as the latter part of the year has seen a major change in my life as far as my work situation is concerned.  Faced with some unpleasant struggles as far as Colin’s work situation was concerned, with decided in June that it would be best if I looked for a full-time job, that would include medical benefits etc.  The economic climate in the Sacramento area is generally dismal at present, so the likelihood of easily finding a job seemed remote, and the fact that I have not worked full-time in twenty years did not add much to my confidence!  But we saw God’s hand of guidance and provision all over the process, and contacts just fell into place in amazing ways!  It would take too long to describe all the incidents that occurred, but, in the end, I was offered two completely different jobs at the same time!  Tough choice as they were both very attractive opportunities to me.  End result is that I have now been working for Adventist Health, in their IT division, for the past three months.  The position I have involves a massive learning curve, but my colleagues and manager all seem really helpful and it is a very affirming work environment.  The organization is a non-profit, affiliated with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and the leadership truly feels a sense of sacred mission in providing compassionate care to the patients in their group of hospitals and clinics.  I’m incredibly grateful, not only to have found a job, but to have found one in an organization of this nature, very close to home as well!

Needless to say this has involved some adjustment as far as time management is concerned.  I still have some of my web clients that I take care of, and am also happy to have been able to move my Bible Study to an evening timeslot, so am still involved in that.  Erin has been a trooper in it all, and fortunately will have her driver’s license in the next few months, which will make things easier for her, transport-wise.  Big change for our family, but definitely time to do that!

I started the year off with a long anticipated semester abroad in New Zealand. I had the pleasure of being accompanied by my mom on the way over to New Zealand, stopping in Australia for a couple weeks to sight-see – visiting Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. As it turns out, my parents know people in all of these places, as well as in New Zealand, and I had an incredible time getting to know them and seeing how they live, as well as enjoying their generous hospitality.

After having seen a variety of Australian animals, the Sydney opera house, stunning beaches, and enjoying my first drink (being over the legal drinking age!), my mom and I travelled on to New Zealand. Staying with more incredible people, we saw the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, experienced a Maori hangi, and adventured through Milford Sound – an awe inspiring fiord.  Finally the time came for my mom to depart back to the States and I began my time alone in New Zealand at Massey University in Palmerston North.

During the months that followed I met many Kiwis and a variety of people from all over the world, some of whom I would eventually travel the North and South Islands with. At the university there, I took a variety of classes including Interpersonal Communication, Health Studies, and Maori Art. The last of these was far more than I had ever bargained for – a complete cultural experience! My first day going to Maori Art I found myself (along with the one other American in the class) surrounded by people speaking Maori, kissing each other on the cheek, touching their noses together, and performing cultural dances. This set the standard for what we would do each class, starting off by singing Maori songs and dancing before working on our Maori art projects. This class was an unforgettable experience that I will always treasure, learning more about their culture, as well as my own family, as our class theme was whakapapa, or essentially genealogy. My final project, a wooden sculpture that casts my shadow over a series of images representing my personal genealogy, can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tuBHJu6mos&feature=youtu.be

The rest of my adventures in New Zealand involved travelling around the country and trying new experiences such as black water rafting through glow worm caves, spelunking, sand-boarding, surfing, zorbing, finding hidden geothermal pools, “tramping” (or hiking) to amazing beaches, climbing a glacier in a thunderstorm with hail, and generally adventuring with random strangers, including a retired professor from England, a girl from China, and a friendly Canadian. These adventures are way too numerous to cover in detail here, but can be viewed (along with pictures) at a blog I kept during my travels:  http://jaredhobson.weebly.com/

After returning to the states, having learned that I can be far more independent and adventurous than I thought I could be, I began my next adventure, my first semester in the nursing program! I’ve had an amazing semester getting to know each and every person in our class and have really enjoyed actually taking nursing classes! Not to mention, clinical has been amazing – interning on the Med/Surg unit at a local hospital. This has really solidified my decision to go into nursing.

This last semester I took a leadership role as a Bible Study leader with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. This has been an outstanding experience as I have been challenged and have challenged others, growing in my ability to lead and in confidence in such roles. Our Bible Study consists of a wide variety of people, including many international students from China and Taiwan, and I have really enjoyed getting to know them.

My living arrangements also underwent change this semester - I was fortunate to snag a room in a ramshackle old house with 18 other Christian guys! Amazing energy - and a very messy kitchen!

Overall, I have been really blessed this year with all the opportunities and experiences I’ve had as well as all the people I’ve gotten to know – and I am excited for what the future holds.  

 

At the beginning of this year, I intended to be back in school again. Instead, I ended up in Florida, in strangers’ homes with three friends from different parts of the world. Little did I know I’d spend the summer in the forest before finally returning to San Luis Obispo for school.

At the end of last fall’s NorCal Tour, I was asked to lead the Florida Team on Invisible Children’s Spring Tour. The next few months were a wonderful mess. I was charged with the task of coordinating a ten week tour, advocating for change in the DR Congo and Northern Uganda, while balancing the dynamics of a brand new team of strangers. We drove from San Diego to Florida and back, ate alligator, visited Disney World, stayed in beach houses, experienced the peculiarities of the South, worked hard, cried with exhaustion, met some of the most incredible individuals, and kept each other sane enough to finish well and be family - with the quiet understanding of what we went through together.

I’m still processing my time at Invisible Children. It was overwhelming. I’m humbled and thankful to have been able to be a part of that movement in such a way, and the community that is working towards seeing an end to the LRA’s war. Since the beginning of high school, Invisible Children has entirely changed the way I see the world and my role in it.

In the summer, I got to be a part of another beautiful community at Camp Hammer. In the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains, I mentored and challenged high school students. This involved living in the woods for half the summer. Waking up to the quiet of the trees surrounded by new friends was an amazing way to start every morning. Again, I never planned on being there, but was blessed beyond my expectations by it. I am so thankful!

Now, as I’m back in classes and surrounded by art supplies, it’s been a challenge to figure out how to be a student again. It was such a unique year with experiences that are hard to explain and to do justice to in describing. But it’s good to be doing design work again and finding my feet once more in SLO. As part of this I have resumed my daily projects to complete the goal I set for myself before all the unexpected interlude began. You can follow my progress, if you like, at brynhobson.com.

My biggest conclusion is this: to trust that there is intention in where we’re taken. I am so thankful for this year and the unexpected adventures it’s been full of, and while my present daily life is more conventional, I know it’s part of a story I haven’t learned the end of yet.

 

Looking back, this has been one of my most enjoyable years. Mom went off to Australia and New Zealand with Jared and I got to hang out with my Dad for four weeks. (Editor's note - is there cause and effect implied in those first two sentences?!) It was great having one-on-one time with him, whether at home, skiing, or watching the sunset together. I was also able to go on my first mission trip to Mexico with my youth group. Spending a week with 600 other teenagers and adults, spreading God’s love and giving joy to those who don’t have much, and myself learning so much, was a wonderful experience. One of the most memorable parts of the trip was being able to give a lady with no legs a wheelchair, and watching her face light up, knowing we had impacted the rest of her life.

Summer came, and with it, my first job: coaching gymnastics. As I have done gymnastics my whole life, the opportunity to work with kids and help them with something I love has been great. I began my second year of high school, with challenges, such as my first AP (college level) class, a higher level dance class, and advanced courses. So far, though at times it’s been difficult, I feel pushing myself was a wise decision and I have learned so much from it. Another change was the acquisition of my learner's permit, which means in a few months I can get my license and with it, the freedom of being able to drive! Very exciting.

Dad’s fiftieth was a big milestone and it was great to celebrate with him. Now, the whole family is back together and I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store.

 

Boo recently had a brush with the Grim Reaper due to a dreadfully infected abcess at the base of his spine. But a vast amount of money and an undignified spell with the Cone of Shame (brief) and a shaved backside (not so brief) has ensured his continued survival as Ruler of the Kingdom.

Freckles is still living in fear for his life...

 

(Editor's Note - A new source of intimidation to Freckles has been introduced as of Christmas - our family has been joined by "Littles" - Erin's new pride and joy and Freckles' latest nemesis!)