The new year of 2013 feels so far away I don't even remember what I was feeling or expecting for it when it came around. But I guess that was good since God had LOTS of things in store for mine my family's lives.
The craziness of last year started the very first week. Aj's grandfather (and last grandparent) passed away. That was very difficult and quite sudden for the family as he was doing fine after having a bout after Thanksgiving. He was an active man and wanted to get out of that hospital as soon as he could. We got to visit with him and take a photo as he was recovering. Unfortunately he got an infection while in rehab and a few weeks later began to bleed internally and left us in his sleep to be with the Lord.
AJ loved Da very dearly and we retreated to his hometown in the mountains to get-away and try to relax after the holidays and go through a bit of grieving.
While we were up there we got a text saying my Auntie Crystal was heading to the hospital to have her baby. We packed up real quick and headed down to wait at the hospital.
Emi didn't come till later in the afternoon/evening. She was a healthy baby girl and was about to bring a lot of joy to the family. =)
Grampy was already having issues by then and as the weeks went by it seemed that more problems showed up. Before we knew it he was in hospice at home. We were told it could be 3 months to a year. At the rate it was going we felt it would be closer to 3 months.
The season of Grampy being in hospice was like a separate life-time ago. It brought so much of the family together and we were thankful to spend the last few months of his life with him. What happened in those last few months could be it's own blog post...but needless to say, there was a lot of grace and reconciliation. The Roysters came down from WA to help out and Uncle Jess came out when it was looking like was on his last limb. My Aunt and Uncle sat watching him in his bed as he literally took his last suffering breaths and the rest of us (weary from all of the work and sadness) prayed the Lord would kindly take him home, and he did.
During the time with Grampy, we decided to share a place with my parents. There was one that worked out great from the same landlady of the house my parents had at that time and we would just both be helping each other out through this move. It's been close to a year since we moved in together and everything is working out really well! =) We sure don't know what God has in store though.
Spring, summer and all the way into fall just held really exciting and fun things that kept us so busy throughout the year!
1. AJ and I went away together on vacation to San Diego for about a week.
It was a lovely time to just take it easy (or run around?) and go to the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld!
2. Our church's Women's Retreat
This was a fantastic retreat where many of us women grew closer together and just grew in our walk with the Lord. We had serious conversations and a fun break! =)
Harlem Shake!
3. I started nannying this little cutie 3 days a week all day.
4. It was a big year for Sam as she graduated High School, got a job at Starbucks and turned 18!
The final daughter and sister to finish school! It was very exciting!
A lot of gaming went on!
5. Then there was WorshipGod!
This conference was a blessing and it was so fun to have so many friends to be there with, and to meet some new ones!
6. Soon after that was the Anime Expo.
This was so extremely fun because Sammi and Stephen and Amy were all dressed up and it was fun to see them get so much attention and photos. It was a unique experience and we loved it!
7. Nika took me to see Miranda Sings for my birthday!
This was a very fun experience and very thoughtful of Nika. Although I think I like Miranda's videos better than her show. =)
8. In the same week I went to Vidcon (a YouTube conference) and took Nika with me for HER birthday!
I didn't think very much of this conference when I first went but by the end it ended up being a life changing experience for me. And I have since started my own channel, having fun and just sharing different things!
TimeWithBekka
9. The very next weekend I drove right back to the same convention center for my most looked forward to Expo that happens every other year- D23 (the Disney Expo).
AJ came with me this time and it was so incredibly fun! Especially being able to meet the writer of one of my favorite animated series right now, Gravity Falls.
10. Not only was I going to all of these cons, but I planned a Summer Party too...
'Cause the year was already crazy, why not make it crazier? With my Dad's help again we had our 3rd annual party!
11. For our final convention, AJ and I headed up north to Spokane to visit my family and then to Seattle to head to PAX (the video game expo).
This was a tiring but exciting vacation. We drove pretty much straight up there 21 hours or so and then drove some more to Seattle. We met Sam there and had a blast looking around. This con was very much for AJ. =) Especially since he got to meet one of his favorite "celebrities" (Mark Rosewater, the head designer of Magic the Gathering). We also got to visit my friend, Laura, who had moved up there about a year prior!
Other bigger things that happened were that Dad got a job demotion. It was something we weren't anticipating on at all and could see God's sovereignty in many ways like us sharing a house, Dad needing to slow down a bit etc. The Lord has used it to teach Dad a lot and we've seen His grace through it in multiple ways. He is now a teacher at the school for substation operators at Edison. =)
On the other side, AJ got a promotion! He got a bid as a System Operator at a new station. He'll start within the next few months as the station he's currently at are kinda holdin' him.
At the end of the year, my Uncle Jesse got a job down here and as his family was moving down in parts my Dad's Aunt passed away and some of the family sent him and Mom out to Hawaii the week before Christmas! (That sentence alone was just crazy) So my whole family from Washington moved down just in time for Christmas and we had all of our family back together, minus Grampy because he was celebrating with the ACTUAL "birthday boy". =)
And AJ and I pretty much had 6 different Christmas' altogether! *crosses eyes*
Among all of this there were weddings and recitals, 2 trips to Disneyland, sewing lessons, photoshoots, going to the movies and more!
We ended this year by buying a WiiU and having some friends over to party till midnight as we rung in 2014.
And here I am at the end of this post FINALLY shedding tears as I realize this year is now gone and past. What an incredible page of life I got to be a part of. And the page ends and turns on it's own to the new year.
From JANUARY I was joking about "How could this year get any crazier?" and God had plans even till the last days.
This year wasn't just about these moments. There were a lot of difficult ones too. Personal ones that effected a lot of us in different ways. They are the type that sometimes are better kept within the family. Trust me when I say- there was even MORE to this year than even I can share.
The only way I could get through these- I know- is because of the grace of the Lord. The grace to be calm, to be strong...to be at peace. Only through my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done for me and is doing for me can I go through this year of joy and hardships and grab ahold of the next roller coaster that is 2014 and say, "Bring it on."
And literally be extremely excited about it.
It was great to read about your year in one post. :)
ReplyDeleteIt was great to read that and remember your 2013. ^_^ Praying for you friend. I'm blessed to have you in my world...
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