To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under Heaven…

King Solomon

We have certainly felt the winds of a changing season this past year.  

Bill kicked our changes off by turning 50 (though he still only admits to being 19 in spirit).  His family joined us for the fun (Bill's party pics), but Bill and I were the ones surprised when JON & Sally showed up.   James and Kate had snuck them in from the airport the night before, and Kate had given them her room. I now know why people who are in shock can only stupidly stare.  Their brain is totally engaged in a fistfight between what they see and what they believe to be true.

Whoa, Nellie!  Who's the guy walking out of Kate's room?

Wait, it looks like -- Jon? 

No, he's in California.  Try again.

No, no, it's Jon, really!

Yes, it is sad to admit I froze up and refused to recognize our firstborn.  Once I remembered him, it was even sadder to see them leave again.  They stay busy and happy in California.

March brought more changes when James graduated from plumbing school (James' grad pics), passed the Plumber Journeyman certification and then moved into his own condo.  The guy was 21 and would only be 20 minutes away, but I made him promise not to call it "home."   I was standing on the step wiping a bittersweet tear from my eye as he pulled away for his first night at his place when I heard a huge commotion behind me.  It was Stephen dragging his things into Jamey's old room and shouting, "Whoo-Hoo!  I finally have my own door!"  (Stephen's room had been in the loft.)  Jamey also passed the Florida Contractor's exam this year, and is quite sure he never wants to see another textbook for the rest of his life. 

Kate entered a new season of life, graduating from nursing school (Kate's grad pics), landing a job in the ER of a trauma center, and finding her own (adorable) apartment practically across the street from work.  When she got the chance to jump into a helicopter for a trauma flight, she thought it was boring.  “Too much flight time for the amount of trauma you get to work with.”   How a mother who still cringes at the sight of blood from a hangnail could raise a daughter who feels called to trauma medicine, I will never know.  Oh, yes, wait - I do know.  She’s doing what she’s called to and I’m – well, I’m trying not to act like a baby and say things like, “Oooh, yuck!”  She also got to spend a very fun Thanksgiving with Jon and Sally.

I guess two graduations and two birds flying out of the nest didn't warrant enough change, so Daniel went ahead and graduated from  high school (Dan's grad pics), and then moved to Washington for the fall semester for a White House Internship.  It was packed with both hard work and fun. He also enjoyed living with his cousins for a few months, and learned what it's like to Metro to work in DC everyday (long and tiring). He enjoyed the snow, but is glad to be back in Florida warmth again.  He's home at least until he finishes at the junior college here, and we are so glad.

Stephen, not wanting to be left out in the let's-bring-major-changes-to-our-parents'-lives campaign, began college classes this year.  I must say it's certainly quieter around here with only two kids at home on most days.  Stephen's taking pre-reqs for the EMT/Paramedic program and hopes to one day serve the Lord in Israel. He enjoyed competing in Christian speech events this year.  When he arrived late for registration at a major event, he dropped to his knees, folded his hands and begged the registrar to let him in.  She did.  His events?  Dramatic and persuasive. 

Patrick has enjoyed speech this year as well.  He also got to spend about two months during the summer on a mission in Mexico.  Despite the challenging conditions, he is looking forward to serving the Lord in a foreign country one day.  He's also planning to follow his dad into computer work, which he hopes will fund those future missions.  He decided to help James get his condo ready for resale, and forgot about the faulty bathroom door handle.  The poor kid got trapped inside the tiny half-bathroom while James was at work.  For two hours he tried to get handle or hinges off.  If James hadn't had a nudging to check on him in the middle of the day, it would have been seven hours.    

Joel also likes to help James with his condo.  Alas, cabooses (or would it be cabeese?) are sometimes not as diligently trained as their older counterparts (or so said counterparts sometimes tell us).  So  when Joel began calling for James and Patrick over and over, rather than going to find them, they decided it was time to reinforce his good-manners training, and not drop everything to go to him.  When Joel wouldn't let up and James couldn't take it anymore, he called from the top of the stairs, "Joel, you're not supposed to call people from another room!  What do you want?!"  Joel's meek reply?  "I'm stuck in the downstairs bathroom."   Joel is seen here in his umpteenth patient try (and final success!) at getting our new puppy, Chance, to face the camera.  Chance showed up, hungry and abused, the day after we had to put our beloved golden retriever, Sam, to sleep.  When no one claimed him, we decided the Lord must have sent him to us, seeing as a starving puppy and a grieving family would make a good combination.  He thinks Joel is his new litter-mate, jumping up to follow him whenever he leaves a room.  When he isn't chewing slippers, wires, shoes or chairs, he is stealing all of our hearts.  Chance, not Joel.  Joel also steals our hearts but doesn't chew furniture.

I couldn't find any decent pics of Bill and me this year, so I thought it would be fun (and, hmmm, perhaps more flattering) to use pics from 1979 ~ the year we were married.  They certainly add a bold exclamation point to the theme that seasons are changing.  Bill and I are actually thinking and praying about slowing down quite a bit in '08, perhaps sleeping in a little more, donning some fuzzy slippers, and letting the kids do a little more of the running.  Ah, yes, some of the benefits to a changing season. 

We hope your Christmas was wonderful, and that your New Year will be full of joyful service to our Lord.  And since we'll be spending more time at home in '08, we'd love to have a visit from YOU!

Bill & Mardy

My times are in Your hand.

Psalm 31:15