Over a decade ago, this blog started as a journal with pictures and kids' school writings; it then kind of morphed into a scrapbook, primarily consisting of pictures and a few recipes sprinkled in. For some time I've meant to include journaled updates but somehow have just never done it. I'd like to continue this going forward, but we'll see how that plays out...
This was my contribution to the Steiner Connection for this month, sent to our wonderful editor AB just this past Monday. It's an update on life as well as a record for me of what life is like beyond all the pictures I post and write about.
So here we go - - -
Hello Steiners. Hope you’re all enjoying this arctic
experience. We are thankful for a warm house and safety for those traveling; so
yes, I for one am enjoying it. That would be vastly different if I had to go
somewhere today; but thankfully I don’t. We enjoyed a wonderful week in
Florida, complete with seeing Troy and June and family randomly on the huge
Siesta Key Public Beach. Was fun to say hi. Now the long haul until spring;
well, March is only a couple weeks away, so spring will be here soon. Kids are
settling into school routine, and things are finally slowing down after our
unusually hectic December/January. December is of course traditionally busy
with holiday plans; but with Dad and U. Dan passing and all the extra activity
with that, I could hardly catch my breath. But God is faithful, and now that’s
past, and all that’s left is to pick out a headstone for Dad’s gravesite.
Sometimes it’s hard to believe he’s gone, just like that. And U. Dan. I think
of them both often… but not to wish them back, oh no. They are in such a better
place it’s not even fathomable. Thanks to all who came to help us celebrate
Dad’s victory. Was really good to visit with all who could come; those who
couldn’t were missed. Tim’s folks have had a few *minor* health issues
(as if anything is minor when one is 87 or 90); they’re doing ok though and
we’re thankful. They’re planning to move to Chestnut Place in a few weeks so
they’ve had a busy winter emptying closets and storage rooms. We’ve inherited
some nice heirlooms… they kept a lot of things from their childhood so it’s
been a walk through history as they’ve pulled things out. Kate and Ben are
doing online school again, and that seems to be going well. They were able to
go to FL with us and spent enough time on the beach (interpret: sunburn) in spite
of their zoom classes and homework. Jacob was able to work overtime the week
before our trip and he too went with us. Tori spent the week here alone; she
couldn’t go with us as she was returning north from the work team as we were
heading south. Actually we got a quick hug as we met her (and Charity (Koch))
at exit 41 at Staunton IL around midnight. Then we continued south and she
continued north and that was that. Speaking of Tori, she is excited to be
buying a house in the next few months. She is buying Jesse/Lucy’s house because
they are excited to be purchasing a house on Hinman Road, just around the
corner from Levi/Echo. For you home folks – it’s the old Heckel (Heckle?)
stomping grounds that we grew up farming. And speaking of Jesse/Lucy, they gave
us the best Christmas gift ever when they told us that Jason will be a big
brother in July! Sarah, Jewel, and Josh keep trucking on with school and work.
Sarah and Jewel work a couple days a week at 360 – Sarah in production and
Jewel in accounting. Sarah does quite a lot of babysitting also. She never
seems to tire of it. And that’s about all the news I can think of and I think
it’s enough for one time. I look forward to hearing from you all.
And that's that, except I realized after I sent this news to AB that I forgot to share the most important news of all: we were blessed and grateful to rejoice with Sarah and Jewel (and Grace and Wesley) as they gave their public confession of faith and were baptized a few weeks ago. Idk how I could forget that special weekend, but I really did. We praise God for His work in their lives and look forward to how He will use them as they grow in Him.
And that's a peek at Life Beyond The Pictures at the Kaiser homeplace.
