Remembering Past Decembers

I am currently on year #3 of my five-year journal. I just randomly looked back through the past two Decembers and was a little stunned by the number of major events and painful things that this month has held in only the past two years...

December 2019

• Ty Womble died at age 38 in a plane crash on December 1st
• Celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Evergreen Church
• Designed the photo and back for memorial Christmas ornaments for our first Christmas Eve without Grandad
• Reflecting on various aspects of life and wrote several "Decade in Review" blog posts
  
• Received a very kind email from Sarah Bliss apologizing and offering to reconnect after 11 years apart
  
• Blair Shields died suddenly at age 38 after a really terrible fall
• All of the above inspired me to reach out and message Malori for the first time in six years on Friday the 13th
• Got a surprisingly apologetic response from her the next morning offering to reconnect if I was open to that
  
• Joined the Wilsons to help the Fultons paint their living room in their new house!
• JEM and Kelly's last pre-COVID "Convivial Cozy Christmas Party!"
  
• Emotional Bells Palsy scare while serving in kids' church at Evergreen (I was trying hard to only allow myself to feel joy about reconnecting, but my body was feeling pretty intense apprehension and trying to clue me into that)
  
• Finally told Mom and all my close friends about reconnecting with my former best friend (which caused varied reactions and some hard conversations)
• Triston and Carter were in an awful car wreck with Brooke where Carter broke his collarbone... had a long 3-way midnight phone call with Mom and T-man while they were at the hospital
• Dad got very sick suddenly - sleepy and incoherent while driving as he was on the phone with Rachael... two days later, he was hospitalized with a severe staph infection - the Lemieuxes were already there before I arrived from Tulsa - so grateful for them!
• Unblocked her # and then texted with Malori for the first time in 6+ years on Christmas Eve Eve
• Grateful that Dad was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve morning
• Received a third unexpected apology letter for that month, this time from a family member, and again showcasing the stark difference in remorse vs. real repentance
  
• Brunch at the Parrish home where we got precious Christmas gifts from the Miss K
• Good phone call and then dinner when she was in town to complete the reconnection with Sarah Bliss in a timeline that felt natural and appropriate
  
• Saw Little Women in theaters twice (in December... then more in January. lol)
  
• T&C witnessed someone they love being arrested =(
  
• Rang in the new year with the Wilsons and friends!

December 2020

• Dinner on the 1st with Kristin F. to seek her advice on how to set better boundaries, peacefully step back, and better guard my heart in the Malori friendship
  
• Got lots of wonderful texts from her the very next day - truly so much deferred hope, pre-grieving, and inner turmoil over that friendship on my end
  
• Wrote and mailed out 36 letters to influential people in my life (at age 36)
  
• Rach met with an attorney and filed some very important paperwork
  
• Judge and Laura were working on another Administrative Order regarding COVID and the ever-changing court procedures
• Rachael started her new job at Tinker AFB on the 7th
  
• Identity theft/ credit card fraud so I had to get a new card again
  
• Miss K had a solo in the CHA Christmas program!
• A close friend received heartbreaking/sobering news at a doctor's appointment
• Judge had a close family member hospitalized who eventually died from COVID on 12-16
  
• Mom and Jace had a heartbreaking conversation as the kids were all struggling with changing family dynamics
  
• Important conversation with T&C + Rach and Dad - the boys spoke up with a lot of courage, and we all wished we could fix everything that's been hard for them
• Babah diagnosed with sepsis and COVID, Mom and JoBug exposed but tested negative
• Malori texted about mailing me a Christmas gift, so I did the same for her
  
• Baked a chocolate layer cake that totally fell apart because it was so stuck to the pan =(
• Chet was exposed but tested negative for COVID on Christmas Eve
• For the first time since they were born, the kids were not with us for Christmas Eve night, but we met Bill & Jill for dinner at The Ranch, and it was great!
• Fun slumber party with Mom and TCJ&K!!
• First shoutout during a Peloton yoga class from Aditi, my fav yoga instructor!
• Set goals and rang in the new year with the Wilsons and Shoemakers!
  

All that to say, A LOT happens in a month, and none of us really know what lies ahead for us or the people we love most.  The goods and bads both tend to feel amplified through the holiday season, and there are a lot of people who are hurting or dealing with more pain than you know.  So I guess this post is just a free reminder to be kind, stay close to God, and treasure the time with your family and your friends! ❤

*Above pic = lunch today with the Wilson fam + Sarah and Kate at OSBC!

*Thanksgiving dinner with the fam below!

 

 

P.S.  Happy Birthday to my lovely friend and coworker, Lauralai Allison!! ❤