It is a new experience for us to put up Christmas lights in 80 degree weather. To wear sandals and summery clothes while setting up our Christmas tree was strange. I've always lived in places where cold and snow are synonymous with winter so I thought that I would miss it. I miss the our family and friends, the Indian Creek light display and skating rink, Christmas decorations and watching the skaters in the Village at Meridian, and watching snow come down (while cozy in my house) but not driving in the snow or bundling up against the cold winds. All in all, I think that both of us are getting used to a warm Christmas!
Most of you know that we lived with our daughter, Becca, and her family for the past 3 years. This spring it became evident that we needed more resources to aid in caring for Rich. He was approved to receive Medicaid in Idaho in June which helped us financially. However, although he was approved to get up to 20 hours of companion care per week, the local agencies couldn't find anyone to fill that need. I was no longer able to leave him home alone as the commute to church, friends, shopping, etc. was about 25 minutes from our home in Middleton. Even going to pick up my grandsons after school became difficult because the 1/2 hour that it took was often too long to leave him. Unfortunately, the housing costs increased so much over the past year in the Treasure Valley that it became apparent we would not be able to find an affordable option. God's timing is perfect and just at the right moment, my brother, Gerry, sent me a list of homes that were available at Maranatha Village (MV) in Sebring, Florida where my brother and my sister (along with their spouses) live. The prices were affordable and we would be near my siblings. Win, win!
With lots of help from family and dear friends from our church, we packed up our belongings. Our son-in-law, Justin, drove our belongings to Sebring while Rich and I opted for the easier trip - flying to Fort Myers! A few weeks before our departure, we received the fabulous news that Kelly and Justin were expecting a little one (we now know that they are having a boy). While we were overjoyed with the news, it was bittersweet to know that after waiting for this miracle, we were moving over 2700 miles away from them! We will travel to the Boise area at the end of March to welcome our new grandbaby to the family! All three of our girls and their families have vowed to visit us in Florida!
Once we made the decision to move, Becca and Brent decided that they didn't need such a big house. They downsized to a smaller one level home near the boys' school in November. They love their new neighborhood in Caldwell. Henry started high school this fall and Jack is in 7th grade. The boys are busy with school and sports. Henry plays soccer all year and Jack enjoys target practice and dirt bikes. I miss our fun outings, soccer games, as well as visits to Dutch Bros. Coffee and Dairy Queen with our grandsons!
Hollie and Jill adopted our kitty, Henrietta, when we moved. Henrietta joins their dogs, Omar (a German Shepherd) and Winnie (a Golden Retriever). Hollie still has her horse, Gigi, and spends lots of time at the stable caring for her. Animals continue to be Hollie's life - she works full time at a vet clinic in Nampa, ID near her home.
Kelly and Justin took our Cairn Terrier, Ferguson, to live with them and their cute pug, Fanny. Although we miss both of our animals, it is nice to have less responsibility. We know that they are well cared for and loved!
It was exciting and exhausting getting settled in our new little home. We truly love the area, our neighbors, being close to my siblings, and all the support that we have here. We didn't know how important that this support would be but we recently received a crash course. In the early morning hours of December 11 Rich suffered a severe seizure. His body was jerking uncontrollably and he was unresponsive after falling out of bed. I immediately called 9-1-1. He was still unresponsive when the ambulance arrived and we didn't know if he would wake up. After a very scary couple of days, Rich started to improve. Although there are some lingering effects, he is recuperating. He will continue to have home visits with a nurse and a physical therapist for a few more weeks. We are praising the Lord for His goodness to us. We are thankful for our family and friends that supported us during this time.
As this year comes to a close, I pray that you know the Prince of Peace! Jesus is the reason that we celebrate Christmas. Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins. He wants us to humbly ask for forgiveness and receive His gift of eternal life. The peace on earth that Luke 2 refers to will never come without receiving Christ as the Lord and King of our lives.
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