Well, we know I didn't get my Christmas cards out ... so we also know that I didn't write a Christmas newsletter this year, either. That one hurt. In fact, I didn't sit down to even ponder what we did this year. I'm pretty sure we did something, though. We must've.
Let's see...
Rick started out the year needing surgery. Back surgery. And merely days after the surgery happened he was relieved from his pain. Surgery good. Rick good. Life good.
Elizabeth started out the year headed to Walt Disney World for a college internship. She had returned home from Arizona (and college life there) to accept a position she'd been offered at her dream company, Disney. She'd never been to Florida though, and this sounded like a pretty neat thing. I liked it, too, because I GOT TO TAKE HER THERE! So ...
I started out the year in Florida! Yep, Liz and I drove there (so she could have her car with her) and I flew back but not before visiting the Magic Kingdom and introducing Elizabeth to the place that Rick and I honeymooned. So ...
Elizabeth spent five months in Orlando and loved it. She was given a position on the Toy Story Mania ride and then auditioned for and became Toy Story Barbie.
I earned a second trip to Orlando in May to visit Elizabeth for her birthday. Her 22nd. This time I was there for four days of fun and play. I got to visit all four parks for free!
Rick got to stay home with the dog and cat.
Summer came and instead of picking up a second internship, Elizabeth put her Walt Disney career on hold and returned to Frisco. Her intention was to work locally for six months and then return to the amusement park in a different capacity (a professional internship instead of a college internship) but she went and landed a job one day after returning home and she loves it! She's working in Plano for a company that sells computer parts to the government and the military. Her own office and a good salary.
I'm thrilled that she's off my insurance ... a raise for me!
Summer brought Rick's mother to Texas to live after a 20 year battle to get her here. She likes it and we like it. And life is good. For her and us.
Rick entered the fall season in more pain, yet again. Darn it! We are monitoring this and tabooing any surgery for him.
I entered the fall returning to my Frisco ISD job and still liking it a lot. I'm especially liking not paying for Elizabeth's insurance anymore.
Elizabeth entered the fall with an event that will take her quite awhile to get over. We're all still reeling from her being attacked at her work by a homeless man. She survived and she fought him off successfully ... and is now interested in the martial arts.
I like that Elizabeth is studying martial arts.
No additional trips were taken during the year unless you count a trip to Winstar, the Las Vegas of the Midwest. More like the Laughlin of the Midwest. Actually, more like one single Indian casino in the Midwest. We did not come home rich.
November gave Rick one more chance to appeal for his military pension. He and I took a road trip to Bonham, Texas (aka Hicksville) where they put him through the ringer. We spent ALL DAY at the Veteran's hospital in Bonham where he had every test under the sun. Still waiting for those dang results, too.
And as Christmas approached ... I managed to get our tree up and decorated on November 1st. 'Taint never done that before ... However, I never got the lights out in the yard and I never got the cards out. So ... the early bird may catch the worm but he sure is tired from it and can't ever coordinate the rest of the tasks.
Probably because I was busy directing actors again for our Christmas dinner theater at my church. We repeated our play "An Americana Christmas" and all WOULD'VE gone well if ... we hadn't had a severe ice storm throughout the city and gotten frozen in and confined to our homes. Yeesh. That's twice since we've lived here. Our play did go on (because the show MUST go on) but four of our performances had to be cancelled and two had to be added. Life was quite interesting around that time.
And, Christmas came and went. The decorations are still up, the presents are all still under the tree (yes, opened) and the leftover food is still living in our fridge. Yes, we are eating large in the Kahle home.
Despite Rick's pain, we have had a fun year. Adventurous, too. Just ask Liz. And, once again, we feel completely blessed. God has been so good and so faithful to us. 2014 is approaching quickly and we're all looking forward to it. We remain a close family and plan to all be under the same roof for at least one more year. Then Liz is off to California and Rick and I plan to ... what? Well, nothing different. We'll still be here.
Midnight is still here, too. She's over 12 now. Well, we've had her for 12 1/2 years but she was full grown when we got her. Jeannie's still with us, too. Jeannie doesn't show her face much though and that's okay with me.
So ... since we're all still here, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful, wonderful New Year. We wish you God's peace and His blessings on you as well.
With our love ~
Kris, Rick and Elizabeth
with Jeannie and Midnight, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment