MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We hope your year thus far has been a happy and healthy one.
Here's what's been going on with us over the past year.
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Greg Updates:
Greg continues to work at Intel as a software engineer, and it's been 25 years
- where does the time go?
He has a lot of interesting projects relating to in-house software.
His software was probably used as part of making the processor
that's in your computer right this minute!!!
Greg plays Foosball most evenings after work and started playing in local tournaments. He took second place in this last week's draw-your-partner tournament!
He bought a new truck last December - a beautiful white Ram.
Here we are inside!
Isn't she a pretty beast?
The truck is cushy and extra nice, with several fancy amenities
(heated seats for these terrible Arizona desert winters, plugs for the crock pot, etc.)
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Christie Updates:
If you read this blog every once in a while, you probably know what I'm up to already!
But just in case, here's a summary . . .
Work-wise, I continue to chug along with digitizing the Chirp Curriculum so that it can be distributed online. I want to make the curriculum available to as many people as possible with as low a cost as possible! We are almost completely finished digitizing the 40 or so lessons we offer,
and we have exciting plans about the next steps for the Chirp Curriculum.
I have also continued to produce videos for the Chirp YouTube channel that are focused on child development, early childhood, developmental delays/disorders, behavior challenges, and sensory needs. The technology needed to create videos is changing all the time, and it's fascinating to keep learning and keep challenging myself with software and lighting and cameras and all that.
I still lead the 1:1 (Special Needs) program at our local church, Rock Point.
I adore the people I work with and our students.
Our program continues to grow, and I'm excited to see what will happen next!
It's an honor to support the families in our community who live with special needs of various kinds,
and it's great to volunteer along with this wonderful big-hearted team!
For the most part, I had an excellent year health-wise. My energy levels have risen,
my digestive system is calm most of the time, and I've been able to accomplish more of the things I have wanted to do. There was a surprising medical event, though:
I injured my left ankle and needed surgery, which took place in August.
Recovery has been slow and I'm still at it!
Just over the past couple of weeks I have been able to start running again.
I still wear the ankle brace when I'll be on my feet a lot.
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We got to take a couple of trips this past year.
Trip #1:
Greg's Grandma sadly passed away in April, so we went
to Bemidji for the funeral.
They were in the middle of a big snow storm when we arrived!
The next day it was already on its way.
It started melting quickly and it wasn't very cold.
Greg looked very handsome at the funeral.
There were huge piles of snow - when it snows that much
all at once, where is a city supposed to put it all when they
shovel it off the roads?
In big piles in parking lots and parks.
Greg got to have his favorite pizza: Giovanni's.
We saw Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.
With Greg's Mom, Linda!
There's Lake Bemidji in the background.
We also visited Greg's Dad Rick and Step-Mom Karen
at their lovely and welcoming home.
Trip #2:
On July 18, my parents celebrated their 50th anniversary!
They rented a big beautiful house on the beach in California
and we all joined them there for fun and togetherness.
We enjoyed the ocean a LOT!
The water was chilly, so we decided to buy second-hand wet suits,
which made the water even more fun!
The suits also helped against chafing from the boogie boards.
My Dad taught us all how to find sand crabs.
They leave little lumps in the sand when the wave goes out.
I left them alone to go about their crabby business.
We also took a little trip to Disneyland!
We were busy having fun and didn't think clearly about the
photo aspect of the trip, so this is the only picture we have
of all of us together (in It's A Small World).
I love it.
My Mom got them special Disneyland dresses with pricesses and heroines all over them.
My nieces got fancied up at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
(which has been a dream of my Mom's for years).
Watching them be excited was THE BEST.
We also got to have fun exploring the new Star Wars stuff.
That's the Millennium Falcon behind us!
And here we are inside.
We got some cute family photos later in the trip.
What wonderful memories!
Trip #3:
Since we didn't go to Minnesota in the summer as we typically do,
we decided to go over Thanksgiving.
There was A LOT of snow while we were there!
We got to shovel!
I like shoveling.
It's good exercise, it's QUIET,
and it's beautiful out there.
The snow wasn't very sticky, so this tiny snow lady is
the best I could do.
We got to spend Thanksgiving Day with Greg's Dad and Step-Mom Karen.
Except it was even better because Karen's kids and their spouses and kids
were there, so we got to catch up with a bunch of people we haven't seen for many years.
Icicles were everywhere.
Later in the week, we got to snuggle.
We read books, too.
And it kept snowing!
Esme was insistent that we take some family photos.
Good call, Esme!
She gave us each a stuffed animal to hold during the photo session.
I got to see my parents' house getting all decked out for Christmas
and it was glorious and elegant.
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There were some discouraging times this year - for me, mostly relating to my health and the sloooow recovery from my ankle injury. This verse has been a huge blessing to me.
"My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever."
Psalm 73:26
We hope your Christmas season is full of JOY and LOVE.
Thanks for stopping by!
I enjoyed the year's journey with you.
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