HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023!
At the beginning of a new year I like to pause, look back, and write a little recap of our previous year. You can click here for last year’s post (and from each post you can find a link to a previous year recap).
There’s a kind of a funny (not ha-ha) story why this year’s recap is so late. Abby and Andrew drove back from Maine to Florida, and before flying out I gave them my luggage, so I could fly with a lighter backpack. At the last minute I also took my laptop out, and stuck it in my luggage.
We all get delayed. First our flight is cancelled on our way to the airport, but we got a new flight for the next day. That one left hours late, but we made it to Florida. Rangeley got an ice storm and Abby and Andrew were delayed leaving town. And then they broke down in Fishkill, NY. For three nights.
When we finally connected, it was at Disney, so naturally I didn’t take my laptop out… And when we got home, I had four photo galleries to edit and deliver (I’m half way there now). So I’m a little behind on… everything.
In January 2022 we left Maine to return to Florida. It’s always a bit of logistics: Mae and I flew down on a commercial flight, Scott and his friend Marshall flew themselves down (and stayed in SC a few days due to weather), and Andrew, Abby and Oliver (the cat) drove down. Daniel our pilot was working, and likely few himself down too :-)
Scott and I celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary, and took a trip to St. Augustine and Amelia Island. Girls started horseback riding with Ms. Becky, and absolutely love it! Mae joined VBA Friday enrichment, and continued homeschool ballet.
In February Mae started orthodontic treatment with Dr. Vargas in Jupiter (she has a big surgery coming up). Abby started volunteering at Special Equestrians of Treasure Coast. Uncle Bob, Aunt Pam and Jessie Bear visited us!
Abby turned 16 in March! We got Disney passes again (after taking a break during Covid) and went to Epcot and Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios later in the month. Abby and I photographed Steamfest.
In April we tried rock climbing with a VBA field trip in Melbourne. Grandma and Grandpa arrived by RV and stayed for Easter. And then Thomas came after them! I tried rollerblading for the first time and liked it. We had a great month!
In May Mae had a music recital at VBA & a ballet recital with her homeschool group. After she was done with ballet, we signed her up for a homeschool class at ELC on Wednesday mornings. Andrew, Abby, Mae and I went to Magic Kingdom, followed by a Seaworld field trip with VBA.
Abby got her driver’s license! She’s a great driver!
We also attended FPEA homeschool conference in Orlando, visited Animal Kingdom and Mae had an early birthday celebration at American Girl with Kyleigh & Phoebe. Mae finished 3rd grade! It was a full month!
In June we took a trip to Maine to get our house ready for the rental season. Braiden, Thomas and Rachel came to help too, which was huge! We had a ton of work! We got a new dock with help from a friend. Our water trampoline deflated our last night there, and our big freezer quit our second to last day.
Mae and I did a lupine picture session.
We got back to Florida needing a vacation! Mae and her friend Kyleigh did an art camp, and brought home amazing art! Abby (mostly) finished 10th grade!
July was a travel month, too: We first took a trip to Tennessee for a few days, and then Mae and I flew to Finland for two weeks. Finally! Our last two trips were cancelled by airlines (covid).
The guys also went to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh WI, and Sarah came to Florida to have sisters week with Abby.
August brought Mae and me back to Florida, only to turn around and fly to Maine. We all (my family and my sister’s family) met in Rangeley for our annual family week. Grandma & Grandpa came joined us for part of the week, too! We had such a special time together!
We also had a soft start to 4th & 11th grade later in the month. Thomas moved to Indiana to attend The University of Notre Dame.
In September we were trying to keep a good balance of school and hikes, enjoying the nature and being together.. Friends and family visited. Our friend Bill came to work on house with Scott and Michael (and teen crew as needed), and many projects were started and finished, including painting the house. Mae and I took a trip to Vero Beach (orthodontist & photos) during Hurricane Ian, and hung out with Andrew and Daniel’s girlfriend Madelina (plus her puppy). We lost power for 2-3 days, but there was no damage to our house. Mae and I returned back to Maine.
October was as gorgeous as the fall can be in New England! We enjoyed the foliage, and took many mini adventures in beautiful weather. There was also school and work. Braiden turned sixteen! Madelina came to Maine to stay with her two dogs, and then Thomas came for a visit. We took a trip to Great Wolf Lodge with Saina’s crew, and celebrated Celia’s early birthday. Scott & Abby flew back to Florida. Mae and I flew commercial separately, and went to Disney with Andrew.
We spent November home in Florida, except for Thanksgiving - which we had in Maine with my sister’s family. Andrew and Thomas made it also, Daniel had to work. Sarah and Glady spent Thanksgiving in Texas. Scott and I had a little mini getaway to Epcot & Disney Springs. It was a busy month with work, school and play!
Hurricane Nicole brought a lot of water to our neighborhood, but we were fine. We evacuated to Disney (I had a shoot) for 2 nights. That was a pretty sweet way to hunker down during a hurricane!
Early December we returned back to Maine, and brought with us Abby’s friend Tessa. The little girls promptly decorated the whole house for Christmas, and we had fun with snow, baking and getting ready for Christmas. We got everybody here for Christmas, even Daniel made it Christmas Eve for a day! Most of us caught colds, but it wasn’t as horrible as our Covid Christmas last year!
December is also our celebration month: Abby’s 16th Gotcha Day and Adoption Day, birthdays for the the quads and me. Such a sweet time with family!
We had a good year! Looking ahead at 2023 I don’t know what it will bring (we’re looking at a spring surgery for Mae, and some travel adventures, plus some big round birthdays…), but I know I can surrender it all in our Heavenly Father’s capable hands. In everything I can trust His goodness and mercy.
My sister recently quoted John Eldredge, and it really spoke to me. My prayer is it will bring some hope for you as well:
“Total surrender. This is not something to be feared — not at all. The only safe place for the things you care about is in the hands of God. Luke 17:33: If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. This is one of the great surprises of the Christian experience. We discover the joy of becoming a wholehearted person when happily, lovingly, we give everything over to God in order to have Him. There’s nothing that can taken from us anymore, because we’ve already surrendered everything. If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. Honestly - did we really think that by clinging to this world we could possibly save anything? Now we can approach benevolent detachment (surrender) by literally giving everything and everyone to Jesus, joyfully, with enormous relief. The secret of life is this: if we surrender everything to Christ - including everything we are, the totality of our being - He is then able to give us His everything, His all-in-all. And His all never disappoints.” John Eldredge
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023 TO ALL! Thank you for supporting us - we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without you all!
Much love,
Sennu (and Abby)
