2001already? At least that is what they tell me it is going to be! I can hardly believe it! 2000 flew past so fast. It has been a year of great change and growth for our family. I have a feeling things will never be the same. Change is good, but at the same time, I wish things would remain the same!
In January, I started an on-line business, Austentation, creating custom made Regency Accessories. This springs from my interest in Jane Austen and the English Regency period. It has been a lot of fun working with customers to create just the "right" look for them. I have also learned a lot!!!
In April, I turned 21. This is the oldest I have ever been. ;~D Of course, right now, I am as young as I will ever be again, either. Hmmm......
In April, I also answered an advertisement to become the editor for the Jane Austen Centre in Bath’s, on-line magazine. I felt very confident going into it, but it too, has turned out to be quite the learning experience! Contacting contributors, gaining copyright permission, locating photographs to use and working with the site creators. At first I felt "all at sea". Things have calmed down a bit though, and since meeting the curator and touring the museum, I feel very much more comfortable.....but that is getting ahead of myself!
In May I traveled to Phoenix to stay with my cousins and visit with my Grandmother. (Also to work on my tan) I had just enough time to fly from there to Knoxville for our annual Home-School Conference in early June. In nine years of going, this was the best conference we have ever attended! We met up with so many friends, sat in on some great sessions (I was enrolled in the "Callings, Credentials, and Finances" course) and finished up by getting my certificate for my Knowledge Journal.
When we returned from TN, Peter officially "graduated" at a state-wide ceremony. He is now working for the Town of Vernon in the Parks and Recreation Administrative office. In September, he began work on a legislative campaign for a local man. Though his candidate did not win, Peter was able to gain valuable experience and is now deputy treasurer for the town Republican Committee.
The end of June also saw us traveling to Maine for our yearly "vacation". This year was special in that it was also a family reunion for my mother’s family. My Grandmother, her seven children, sixteen grandchildren and assorted in-laws (31 all together!) gathered for a week in Ocean Park. It was a little crazy, but lots of fun!
Mary Jo continues to amaze us, pointing out the obvious and making us laugh. This year she turned 13 -- she is now officially a teenager! Gracious! Where did all those years go? The State labels her as "Special'. They certainly have that right! She is an avid reader. She loves Jane Austen, Little Women, and Anne of Green Gables (sounds pretty normal, if you ask me) She also has a wonderful talent for making friends. We think we are the ones teaching her, but really, I think she is the teacher here.
The summer sped by about twice as fast as the rest of the year, I think! I am still working at the library. We finally have a website! The reference Librarian and I put it together earlier this year.
This year I have started a weekly story-hour for three-five year olds in addition to my monthly "Multi-Cultural Literature Workshops". I also have the one-four year olds in my Sunday School Class. This has been a great joy. They kids are so funny and sweet. They all just finished up the Christmas program yesterday....I had four sheep, an angel and a little one who was a little small yet. I know I thought they were the cutest kids up there!
In August, we were all shocked to discover that Peter had a large tumor growing on his spinal column. As most of you know, he has a deathly allergic reaction to potatoes. One evening, after dinner, he had an attack (we are still not sure what it was that contained the potato! We try to be very careful!) At the emergency room, after stabilizing him, the doctor suggested a chest x-ray to confirm that his lungs had not collapsed. This was unusual, but it was done. It was then that they discovered the tumor. Within two weeks (a phenomenally short period of time!!) he had an MRI and an appointment with a surgeon. The doctor, who turned out to be the best in the state, was able to remove it through several small incisions, using a scope. This truly was God working, as his recovery time was dramatically shortened (and we now have a lovely video of Peter....from the inside out, if any would like to see it...I wouldn’t recommend it for those with weak stomachs) from what it would have been if they had had to cut bones to get in. We were all relieved when the pathologist’s report came back negative....and the doctor even surmises that it was the tumor that could have been causing the potato allergy in the first place! He still has to be retested...we are a little afraid to give him any French Fries yet! There is a little nerve damage, due to the fact that the tumor was actually attached to the spinal column, but nothing that can’t be dealt with. We are very grateful that there is as little as there is.
Also in August, I finally got a chance to meet some very good friends of mine, when we all got together in Ohio for a weekend. Lauryl, on her way home from five weeks in England, and her grandmother graciously hosted us and Meredith and Melissa found time in between moving in to their new dorms, for us to all meet in Cleveland for a time of tea, chocolate (LOTS of chocolate), Jane Austen, Hornblower, laughing (LOTS of laughing) and talking. Mostly talking. We got one hour of sleep the night before we had to leave!
Amy has been very busy this last year. In the spring, she found out that she had gotten the highest GED score in the state, on the tests we took last year, and was honored at a ceremony, with a very attractive varnished particle-board plaque. She was interviewed for the paper....and a cable TV program! Those interviews had a lot to do with the many things that happened later in the year. She has almost doubled the number of piano students she had, because of people who saw the article in the paper, and the man who interviewed her was the one who offered Peter a job working on his campaign! She has also been leading a choir for homeschooled students. They have had two concerts this year, and sang at a state-wide home-school conference.
In October we finally purchased tickets for a trip to Europe, that we had been planning for the last two years. Before we left, I was also lucky enough to get a visit from my friend, Joy, who had been my roommate in Indianapolis last summer. I think I saw more of the sights of the state in one week than I ever had before! We visited the Harkness Mansion at the shore, and Sturbridge Village. (between....you guessed it! Movies, chocolate- LOTS of chocolate and talking/laughing...are you beginning to see a pattern here?)
Finally, on November first, we left our cosy town in CT to venture out into the wide, wide world. We were gone for 18 days, spending almost an equal number in England (London and Bath) and Italy (Rome and Tuscany) I loved England, but with out a doubt, Italy was my hands-down favorite. It was so incredibly beautiful! And the food! Those of you who have heard me before know my fascination with the food! Absolutely wonderful! I really will have to go back someday. Especially as we never got to see the inside of St. Peter’s Cathedral! We had every intention of doing so, but I got sidetracked with the shopping, coming out of the Vatican Museum, and we never did get there. A copy of our itinerary is here.
Getting home was an adventure in it’s self. By the time we reached our house, we’d been up for about 24 hours.....probably 14 of those on a plane, no to mention buses, and the train from New York. If we only had a boat in there somewhere, I think we would have covered all our transportation bases!
They say there is no place like home. I didn’t really believe it until I was away. You really can’t beat a 24 hour Wal-Mart :~D Seriously, I had really taken all the advantages here for granted. It was not until I did not have them that I realized that despite it’s (many) failings, God really has blessed this country. Immeasurably so. There is so much we have to be grateful for...safe travel, USDA standards, windows that close, friends and neighbors who speak your language (!), more "stuff" than we know what to do with, fixed price menus, sunshine, so much more than I ever really take time to think about! The old hymn says "Praise God from whom all blessings flow". What have you thanked Him for today?
I am slowly learning to remember that God is sovereign. He is in charge of Everything! He made Everything....including time. Often things don’t go the way we plan them, but God states, "My ways are not your ways, neither are my thoughts, your thoughts. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isn’t it wonderful to know that when things are going haywire, there is someone in charge (if you will let Him) who "knows the end from the beginning"! Jesus said, "Come to me, all ye who are wearied and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." If we would stop worrying about things that we cannot change and rest in Him what freedom that would bring!
Hope you have a great Christmas! I look forward to hearing all about it!
~Laura